UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 20-F
(Mark One)
(cid:133) REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
⌧ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015
OR
(cid:133) TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
(cid:133) SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of event requiring this shell company report
For the transition period from to
Commission file number: 001-34122
China Distance Education Holdings Limited
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Not applicable
(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)
Cayman Islands
(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower
1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District
Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of China
(Address of principal executive offices)
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act.
Title of each class
American Depositary Shares, each representing four
ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share
Name of each exchange on which registered
New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act.
None
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act.
None
Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period
covered by the annual report: 142,406,933 ordinary shares.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities
Act. Yes (cid:133) No ⌧
If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes (cid:133) No ⌧
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file
such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ⌧ No (cid:133)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every
Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during
the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ⌧ No (cid:133)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See
definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (check one):
Large accelerated filer (cid:133)
Accelerated filer ⌧
Non-accelerated filer (cid:133)
Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this
filing:
U.S. GAAP ⌧
International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the (cid:133)
International Accounting Standards Board (cid:133)
Other (cid:133)
If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the
registrant has elected to follow:
Item 17 (cid:133) Item 18 (cid:133)
If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act). Yes (cid:133) No ⌧
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
PART I
ITEM 1. IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS
ITEM 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION
ITEM 4. INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY
ITEM 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
ITEM 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS
ITEM 6. DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES
ITEM 7. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 9. THE OFFER AND LISTING
ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ITEM 11. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
ITEM 12. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES
PART II
ITEM 13. DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES
ITEM 14. MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS
ITEM 15. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
ITEM 16. [RESERVED]
ITEM 16A. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT
ITEM 16B. CODE OF ETHICS
ITEM 16C. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
ITEM 16D. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES
ITEM 16E. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS
ITEM 16F. CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
ITEM 16G. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
ITEM 16H. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
PART III
ITEM 17. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ITEM 18. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ITEM 19. EXHIBITS
Page
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Except where the context otherwise requires and for purposes of this annual report only:
INTRODUCTION
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
all references to years are to the calendar year from January 1 to December 31 and references to our fiscal year or years are
to the fiscal year or years ended September 30;
“we,” “us,” “our company,” “our,” and “CDEL” refer to China Distance Education Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries
and PRC affiliated entity, Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., or Beijing Champion, and its subsidiaries, as the context
requires;
“Zhengbao Yucai” refers to Beijing Zhengbao Yucai Education Technology Company Limited by Shares.
“course enrollment” for a period refers to the cumulative total number of fee-based courses enrolled in by our course
participants during such period, counting each and every course enrolled in by a single student as one course enrollment;
“China,” “Chinese” and “PRC” refers to the People’s Republic of China, excluding, for purposes of this annual report
only, Taiwan and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau;
all references to “Renminbi” or “RMB” are to the legal currency of China, and all references to “U.S. dollar,” “dollar,” “$”
or “US$” are to the legal currency of the United States; and
“U.S. GAAP” refers to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
This annual report on Form 20-F includes our audited consolidated statements of operation data for the fiscal years ended
September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and audited consolidated balance sheet data as of September 30, 2014 and 2015.
Our ADSs, each representing four ordinary shares, are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., or the NYSE, under the
symbol “DL.”
This Annual Report on Form 20-F includes certain registered trademarks, trademarks, and trade names of CDEL, its
subsidiaries, its affiliated entities and others. All terms and product names which may be trademarks or registered trademarks of other
companies are hereby acknowledged to belong to their respective owners.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This annual report on Form 20-F contains forward-looking statements that are based on our current expectations, assumptions,
estimates and projections about us and our industry. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this annual report are
forward-looking statements. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words and phrases such as “may,”
“should,” “intend,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “believe,” “is /are likely to”
or the negative form of these words and phrases or other comparable expressions. The forward-looking statements included in this
annual report relate to, among others:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
our goals and growth strategies;
our future prospects and market acceptance of our courses and other products and services;
our future business development and results of operations;
projected revenues, profits, earnings and other estimated financial information;
projected enrollment numbers;
our plans to expand and enhance our courses and other products and services;
the anticipated benefits of listing of Zhengbao Yucai on China’s New Third Board;
competition in the education and test preparation markets; and
Chinese laws, regulations and policies, including those applicable to the Internet, Internet content providers, the education
and telecommunications industries, mergers and acquisitions, taxation and foreign exchange.
1
These forward-looking statements involve various risks, assumptions and uncertainties. Although we believe that our
expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, our expectations may turn out to be incorrect. Our actual
results could be materially different from or worse than our expectations. Important risks and other factors that could cause our actual
results to be materially different from our expectations are generally set forth in “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors,” “Item
5.A. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects – Operating Results – General Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations,”
“Item 5.A. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects – Operating Results – Specific Factors Affecting Our Results of
Operations,” “Item 11. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk,” and elsewhere in this annual report.
The forward-looking statements made in this annual report relate only to events or information as of the date on which the
statements are made in this annual report. All forward-looking statements included herein attributable to us or other parties or any
person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this
section. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise, after the date of this annual report or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Market Data and Forecasts
This annual report also contains data related to China’s education, professional education, test preparation and self-education
markets that include projections based on a number of assumptions. These markets may not grow at the rates projected by market
data, or at all. The failure of these markets to grow at the projected rates may have a material adverse effect on our business
prospects, results of operations and the market price of our ADSs. In addition, the relatively new and rapidly changing nature of these
markets subjects any projections or estimates relating to the growth prospects or future condition of these markets to significant
uncertainties. If any one or more of the assumptions underlying the market data turns out to be incorrect, actual results may differ
from the projections based on these assumptions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
This annual report contains information and statistics relating to China’s economy and the industries in which we operate
derived from various publications issued by PRC governmental entities which have not been independently verified by us. The
information in such official sources may not be consistent with other information compiled in or outside China.
ITEM 1. IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS
Not applicable.
PART I
ITEM 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
Not applicable.
ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION
A. Selected Consolidated Financial Data
The selected consolidated statements of operations data for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and the
selected consolidated balance sheets data as of September 30, 2014 and 2015 are derived from our audited consolidated financial
statements included elsewhere in this annual report and should be read in conjunction with, and are qualified in their entirety by
reference to, these consolidated financial statements and related notes. Our selected consolidated statements of operations data for the
years ended September 30, 2011 and 2012 and the selected consolidated balance sheets data as of September 30, 2011, 2012 and
2013, are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements, which are not included in this annual report. The following
information should also be read in conjunction with “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects.” Our audited
consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our historical results for any prior period are not
necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any future period.
2
2011
Years Ended September 30,
2013
(In thousands of $, except share, per share and per ADS data)
2012
2014
2015
Selected Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:
Net revenues:
Online education services
Books and reference materials
Others
Total net revenues
Cost of sales:
Cost of services (5)
Cost of tangible goods sold
Total cost of sales
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Selling expenses (5)
General and administrative expenses (5)
Impairment of purchased call option
Total operating expenses
Other operating income
Operating income (loss)
Interest income (expense), net
Exchange gain (loss)
Income before income taxes
Less: Income tax expense
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
Net loss of continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling
interest
Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to China
Distance Education Holdings Limited
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to
China Distance Education Holdings Limited, net of tax
Net income (loss) attributable to China Distance Education
30,788
4,743
6,033
41,564
(16,840)
(2,794)
(19,634)
21,930
(9,771)
(12,221)
(1,115)
(23,107)
603
(574)
883
(143)
166
(971)
(805)
40,281
4,438
7,383
52,102
(20,494)
(2,587)
(23,081)
29,021
(11,337)
(8,248)
—
(19,585)
58
9,494
1,119
(40)
10,573
(2,600)
7,973
58,573
5,129
7,658
71,360
80,545
88,657
6,392
6,873
12,647
10,259
97,196 108,177
(27,073)
(2,844)
(29,917)
41,443
(35,187)
(4,616)
(39,803)
57,393
(15,673)
(9,806)
—
(25,479)
59
16,023
1,415
(77)
17,361
(3,797)
13,564
(21,445)
(11,645)
—
(33,090)
253
24,556
2,673
232
27,461
(4,052)
23,409
(41,043)
(3,300)
(44,343)
63,834
(24,186)
(13,211)
—
(37,397)
224
26,661
3,049
737
30,447
(5,874)
24,573
303
—
—
—
—
(502)
7,973
13,564
23,409
24,573
(3,300)
236
—
—
—
Holdings Limited
(3,802)
8,209
13,564
23,409
24,573
Net income (loss) per ordinary share:
Net income (loss) attributable to China Distance Education
Holdings Limited shareholders
Basic from continuing operations
Basic from discontinued operations
Basic
Diluted from continuing operations
Diluted from discontinued operations
Diluted
0.00
(0.03)
(0.03)
0.00
(0.03)
(0.03)
0.06
0.00
0.06
0.06
0.00
0.06
0.10
—
0.10
0.10
—
0.10
0.17
—
0.17
0.17
—
0.17
0.17
—
0.17
0.17
—
0.17
3
2011
Years Ended September 30,
2013
(In thousands of $, except share, per share and per ADS data)
2014
2012
2015
Net income (loss) per ADS:
Net income (loss) attributable to China
Distance Education Holdings Limited
shareholders (1)
Basic from continuing operations
Basic from discontinued operations
Basic
Diluted from continuing operations
Diluted from discontinued operations
Diluted
Weighted average shares used in calculating
net income (loss) per share:
(0.01)
(0.10)
(0.11)
(0.01)
(0.10)
(0.11)
0.24
0.01
0.25
0.24
0.01
0.25
0.40
—
0.40
0.40
—
0.40
0.67
—
0.67
0.67
—
0.67
0.69
—
0.69
0.68
—
0.68
Basic
Diluted
133,571,727
133,571,727
133,996,737
134,363,108
135,174,562 139,613,967 142,720,838
136,399,233 140,497,204 143,767,990
Other Consolidated Financial Data from
Continuing Operations:
Gross Margin (2)
Operating Margin (3)
Net Margin (4)
52.8%
(1.4)%
(1.2)%
55.7%
18.2%
15.3%
58.1%
22.5%
19.0%
59.0%
25.3%
24.1%
59.0%
24.6%
22.7%
(1) One ADS represents four ordinary shares.
(2) Gross margin represents gross profit as a percentage of net revenues.
(3) Operating margin represents operating income (loss) as a percentage of net revenues.
(4) Net margin represents net income (loss) from continuing operations as a percentage of net revenues.
(5)
Includes the following amounts of share-based compensation expenses for the periods indicated:
Cost of services
Selling expenses
General and administrative expenses
Total share-based compensation expenses
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
Cash and cash equivalents
Term deposits
Restricted cash
Total assets
Bank borrowing
Deferred revenue
Refundable fees
Total liabilities
Total China Distance Education Holdings Limited shareholders’ equity
Total liabilities and equity
4
Years Ended September 30,
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
(in thousands of $)
143
1,999 37 56 —
678 16 47 —
74
3,347 88 522 503 1,566
6,024 141 625 503 1,783
As of September 30,
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
(in thousands of $)
817
5,702
49,738 49,723 71,919 118,075 117,899
7,839 7,956
4,720
2,676
6 16,637 16,312
6
93,878 89,986 105,994 171,629 174,120
— — — 16,583 16,467
7,861 9,450 17,143 23,423 29,563
2,580 3,524 4,300
5,245
21,144 25,369 41,474 73,219 83,311
72,734 64,617 64,520 98,410 90,809
93,878 89,986 105,994 171,629 174,120
5,199
Exchange Rate Information
We use U.S. dollars as our reporting currency in our financial statements and in this annual report. When reporting the operating
results and financial position of our PRC subsidiaries and affiliated entities, we use the monthly average exchange rate for the year
and the exchange rate at the balance sheet date, respectively, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In other parts of
this annual report, any Renminbi denominated amounts are accompanied by translations. With respect to amounts not recorded in our
consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this annual report, all translations from Renminbi to U.S. dollars were made
at the noon buying rate in the City of New York for cable transfers in Renminbi per U.S. dollar as certified for customs purposes by
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from Renminbi to U.S. dollars have been made at
RMB6.3556 to $1.00, the noon buying rate in effect as of September 30, 2015. We make no representation that the Renminbi or U.S.
dollar amounts referred to in this annual report could have been or could be converted into U.S. dollars or Renminbi, as the case may
be, at any particular rate or at all. The PRC government restricts or prohibits the conversion of Renminbi into foreign currency and
foreign currency into Renminbi for certain types of transactions. On January 15, 2016, the noon buying rate was RMB6.5840 to
$1.00.
The following table sets forth information concerning exchange rates between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar for the periods
indicated. These rates are provided solely for your convenience and are not necessarily the exchange rates that we used in this annual
report or will use in the preparation of any other information to be provided to you.
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2011
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2012
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2013
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2014
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2015
Most recent six months
August 2015
September 2015
October 2015
November 2015
December 2015
January 2016 (through January 15, 2016)
Renminbi per U.S. dollars Noon Buying Rate
Period
End
Average (1) Low High
6.5356 6.6912 6.3778 6.3780
6.3376 6.3879 6.2790 6.2848
6.1857 6.2877 6.1123 6.1200
6.1479 6.2591 6.0402 6.1380
6.2231 6.4122 6.1107 6.3556
6.3383 6.4122 6.2086 6.3760
6.3676 6.3836 6.3544 6.3556
6.3505 6.3591 6.3180 6.3180
6.3640 6.3945 6.3180 6.3883
6.4491 6.4896 6.3883 6.4778
6.5678 6.5932 6.5219 6.5840
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York and U.S. Federal Reserve
(1) Annual averages are calculated using the exchange rates for the last day of each month during the fiscal year. Monthly averages
are calculated using daily exchange rates during the month.
B. Capitalization and Indebtedness
Not applicable.
C. Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds
Not applicable.
5
D. Risk Factors
Risks Relating to Our Business
If we are unable to continue to attract course participants to enroll in our courses, or to charge our course participants
competitive but profitable fees, our revenues may decline and we may not be able to maintain profitability.
The continued success and growth of our business depends primarily on the number of enrollments in our courses and the
amount of course fees that we can charge. This in turn will depend on several factors, including our ability to develop new courses
and improve existing courses to respond to changes in market trends and demands of course participants, to effectively market our
courses to a broader base of prospective course participants, to train and retain qualified lecturers and tutors, to develop or acquire
additional high-quality educational content and to respond to competitive pressures. In addition, the expansion of our courses,
services and products in terms of the types of offerings may not succeed due to competition, our failure to effectively market our new
courses, services and products or to maintain their quality and consistency, or other factors. Furthermore, we may not be able to
develop and offer additional content on commercially reasonable terms and in a timely manner, or at all, to keep pace with changes in
market requirements. If we are unable to continue to attract course participants to enroll in our courses, increase enrollments in our
relatively new courses, or charge competitive but profitable fees, our revenues may decline and we may be unable to achieve revenue
growth or maintain our profitability.
If we fail to develop and introduce new courses, services and products that meet our target course participants’ expectations, or
adopt new technologies important to our business, our competitive position and ability to generate revenues may be materially and
adversely affected.
Historically, our core business centered on the provision of online professional education and test preparation courses for
accounting professionals. We have since expanded our course offerings to target course participants in the healthcare, engineering &
construction, and other industries, as well as other forms of online and offline education. In addition to regular classes, we have also
introduced, in the past few years, “elite” classes and “premium” classes within some of our most popular course offerings to better
serve the needs of high-end course participants. The profitability of the elite and premium classes may be subject to risks given that
the course participants enjoy refund or discount privileges if certain pre-agreed conditions are met. We also offer business start-up
training courses, which are subsidized by the PRC government, the profitability of which may be subject to risks given that the
subsidy we are entitled to receive from the government in certain provinces and cities may be reduced if certain stipulated conditions
in the government’s subsidy policies are not met. In May, 2015, we launched our College Cooperation Program, which enables us to
expand our industry-leading accounting educational content and services to college and university students, in partnership with
colleges and universities. We intend to continue developing new courses, services and products. The timing of the introduction of
new courses, services and products is subject to risks and uncertainties.
Unexpected technical, operational, logistical, regulatory or other problems could delay or prevent the introduction of one or
more of new courses, services or products. Moreover, we cannot assure you that any of these courses, products and services will
match the quality or popularity of those developed by our competitors, achieve widespread market acceptance or generate the desired
level of income.
Technology standards in Internet and value-added telecommunications services and products in general, and in online education
services in particular, may change over time. If we fail to anticipate and adapt to such technological changes, our market share and
our business development could suffer, which in turn could have a material and adverse effect on our financial condition and results
of operations. If we are unsuccessful in addressing any of the risks relating to new courses, services and products, our business may
be materially and adversely affected.
Our business depends on the continued success of our key brands and the further enhancement of our newer brands. If we fail to
maintain and enhance recognition of our brands, we may face difficulty in obtaining new business partners and course
participants, and our business reputation and operating results may be harmed.
We believe that market awareness of our key brands, “Chinaacc” and “med66.com,” have contributed significantly to the
success of our business. Maintaining and enhancing these key brands, further improving our brands in other industries and
introducing new brands are critical to our efforts to grow our course participant base and attract additional business partners. We may
need to incur significant marketing and promotion costs to maintain and enhance our brands. Failure to maintain and enhance
recognition of our brands could have a material and adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.
6
Our business could be adversely affected if there are changes in the perceived difficulty, requirements or formats of professional
examinations, courses and continuing education in China, or if certain professional qualifications and certificates are cancelled
by the government authorities.
We provide online professional education and test preparation courses relating to the accounting, healthcare, engineering &
construction, and other industries. In addition, we also provide online professional continuing education courses relating to the
accounting, healthcare and engineering & construction industries. We have obtained approval and exclusive rights to offer self-taught
study process monitoring programs in certain provinces and cities, to allow learners to earn up to 30% of the credits they need to
obtain post-secondary self-taught education degrees. If there is any material change to the perceived difficulty, requirements or
formats of examinations, courses and continuing education in our course offerings, and we are unable to modify or supplement our
courses or training materials to address these changes in a timely manner, the demand for, and relevance of, our courses and training
materials may be adversely affected, which could have an adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, if competent government authorities decide to cancel certain professional qualifications or certificates, our business
relating to relevant course offerings would be materially and adversely affected. For example, the PRC State Council promulgated a
decision in August 2014, pursuant to which various professional qualifications or certificates, including the Registered Tax Agent, or
RTA, and Certified Asset Appraiser Qualification, were cancelled or replaced with a qualification evaluation system administered by
the State Council. As a result, the number of our students enrollments and, therefore, revenues generated from our course offerings
for these professional qualifications or certificates were adversely affected. In November 2015, the RTA Qualification Exam has been
officially changed to Tax Agent Qualification Exam and will be held at the end of February 2016, and during November of each year
thereafter. If there are any material changes in the professional qualification licensing and identification in our course offerings, and
we are unable to address these changes in a timely manner, our revenue generated from related course offerings may be adversely
affected, which could have an adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
Changes in the government authorities’ subsidy policy with respect to our business start-up training courses could adversely affect
our financial condition and results of operations.
We provide business start-up training courses, which are sponsored by government authorities, to university students and job
seekers using materials prepared in accordance with requirements of the relevant government authorities in various provinces and
cities. We do not charge fees to course participants enrolled in our business start-up training courses; instead, we receive payments
from the relevant government authorities for courses provided. Our net revenue generated from such courses is conditioned on our
ability to meet the government stipulated conditions under the subsidy policies, which is determined by the government authorities’
assessment of the passage rate of our course participants’ business proposals as evaluated by such authorities, as well as the business
start-up rate and employment rate of our course participants. If there are any material changes to the government subsidy policy, and
we are unable to meet the newly stipulated conditions or to address these changes in a timely manner, our revenue generated from this
course offering may be adversely affected, which could have an adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
Our business is dependent on our lecturers comprised primarily of academics and experienced practitioners within their respective
industries who are typically engaged on a part-time contractual basis.
The vast majority of our lecturers are academics from post-secondary educational institutions and experienced practitioners
within their respective industries in China who typically work for us on a part-time basis. A small portion of our lecturers are our
tutors who remain full-time employees after becoming our lecturers. The popularity and effectiveness of our courses depend, in part,
on the teaching ability of these lecturers and their reputation as skilled lecturers. Consequently, our reputation and operating results
could be adversely affected if we fail to attract qualified lecturers or to maintain or improve the quality of our lectures. For example,
if our lecturers fail to deliver quality lectures as a result of inadequate devotion of their time and energy to our courses or for other
reasons, our business may be adversely affected. In addition, as the online education industry grows and matures, we may face
increasing competition from our competitors for lecturers with good reputations and effective teaching skills, and on whom we rely
for delivering quality services and to maintain and promote our leading market position. Additionally, our lecturers may join our
competitors or set up competing businesses after they discontinue their relationship with us, which could further adversely affect our
operating results. Furthermore, China has promulgated certain regulations prohibiting post-secondary teachers from engaging in part-
time jobs that may have an adverse effect on their primary teaching posts and prohibiting public school teachers working in primary
and secondary education institutions from engaging in part-time jobs to provide tutoring services. If our lecturers choose to, or are
forced to, discontinue their relationship with us to comply with the relevant regulations, we will need to seek new lecturers to replace
them. We cannot assure you we will be able to find replacements at a reasonable cost on a timely basis, if at all.
7
Failure to attract and retain qualified personnel and experienced senior management could disrupt our operations and adversely
affect our business and competitiveness.
Our continuing success is dependent, to a large extent, on our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and experienced
senior management. If one or more of our senior management team members are unable or unwilling to continue to work for us, we
may not be able to replace them within a reasonable period of time or at all, and our business may be severely disrupted, our financial
condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected and we may incur additional expenses in recruiting and
training additional personnel. Although our senior management members are subject to certain non-compete restrictions during their
employment and for a period of two years thereafter, we cannot assure you that such restrictions will be enforced under PRC law. If
any of our senior management joins a competitor or forms a competing business, our business may be severely disrupted. We have no
key man insurance with respect to our key personnel that would provide insurance coverage payable to us for loss of their
employment due to death or otherwise.
Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, our chairman, chief executive officer and co-founder of our business, has played an important role in the
growth and development of our business since its inception, and a loss of his services in the future could severely disrupt our
business and negatively affect investor confidence in us, which may also cause the market price of our ADSs to decline.
Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, our chairman, chief executive officer and co-founder of our business, has played an important role in the
growth and development of our business since its inception. To date, we have relied heavily on Mr. Zhu’s expertise in, and familiarity
with, our business operations, his relationships with our employees, and his reputation in the online education industry. In addition,
Mr. Zhu continues to be primarily responsible for formulating our overall business strategies and spearheading the growth of our
operations. If Mr. Zhu were unable or unwilling to continue in his present positions, we may not be able to easily replace him and
may incur additional expenses to identify and train his successor. In addition, if Mr. Zhu were to join a competitor or form a
competing business, it could severely disrupt our business and negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Although Mr. Zhu is subject to certain non-compete restrictions during his employment with us and for a period of two years
thereafter, we cannot assure you that such restrictions will be enforced under PRC law. Moreover, even if the departure of Mr. Zhu
from our company would not have any actual impact on our operations and the growth of our business, it could create the perception
among investors or the marketplace that his departure could severely damage our business and operations and could negatively affect
investor confidence in us, which may cause the market price of our ADS to decline. We do not maintain key man insurance on
Mr. Zhu.
Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, our chairman and chief executive officer, beneficially owns a significant percentage of our outstanding
ordinary shares and, as a result, he has significantly greater influence over us and our corporate actions relative to our public
shareholders and his interests may not be aligned with the interests of other shareholders.
As of December 31, 2015, our co-founder and chief executive officer, Mr. Zhu, beneficially owned 55,653,685 ordinary shares
or approximately 39% of our outstanding ordinary shares. Mr. Zhu has, and may continue to have, significant influence in
determining the outcome of most corporate transactions or other matters submitted to our shareholders for approval, including
mergers, consolidations and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, election of directors and other significant corporate
actions. He may not act in the best interests of our minority shareholders. In addition, without the consent of Mr. Zhu, we could be
prevented from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to us. This concentration of ownership may also discourage, delay
or prevent a change in control of our company, which could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their
shares as part of a sale of our company and might reduce the price of our ADSs. These actions may be taken even if they are opposed
by our other shareholders.
We may lose market share and our profitability may be materially and adversely affected, if we fail to compete effectively with our
present and future competitors or to adjust effectively to changing market conditions and trends.
We face competition from providers of traditional offline education, training and test preparation services, and expect to face
increasing competition from existing competitors and new market entrants in the online professional education and test preparation
market. Although online education is increasingly perceived as an acceptable means of receiving training and instruction, traditional
classroom instruction is still generally more widely accepted. We therefore compete with traditional offline educational institutions
and training centers in the various disciplines in which we offer courses. As most of our courses are conducted solely online, if the
preference for traditional forms of education and training persists or increases, we may not be able to compete effectively with
competitors engaging in traditional forms of education and training. In addition, due to low barriers to entry for Internet-based
businesses, we expect to face increasing competition from both existing domestic competitors and new entrants to the online
education market. We may face increased competition from international competitors that cooperate with local businesses to provide
services based on the international competitors’ technology and experience developed in their home markets.
8
Our present and future competitors may have longer operating histories, and greater financial, technical, marketing and other
resources. They may be able to devote more resources to the development and promotion of their courses and services, and may be
able to react more quickly to changing course participant requirements and demands, deliver competitive services at lower prices or
respond to new technologies, trends or user preferences more effectively than we can. They may be able to offer services and
products with better performance and prices than ours with the result that their services and products may gain greater market
acceptance than ours. They may also offer free promotional services and products in connection with their marketing campaigns or
significantly lower the prices for their services and products in order to attract course participants and capture additional market share.
There is no assurance that we will be able to compete effectively with such present and future competitors or to adjust effectively to
changing market conditions and trends. Our failure to compete effectively could erode our market share, result in fewer course
participants, or lead to price reductions or increased spending for marketing and promotion of our courses, any of which may
materially and adversely affect our profitability.
Our business is subject to seasonal fluctuations, which may cause our operating results to fluctuate from quarter to quarter. This
may result in volatility in and adversely affect the price of our ADSs.
We have experienced and expect to continue to experience seasonality in revenues primarily due to seasonal changes in course
enrollments and the timing of various exams. As the majority of our course participants take non-refundable courses relating to the
main professional exams, which are typically held in May, June, September and October, we typically experience higher revenues in
the second half of each fiscal year. With respect to our refundable courses, which also primarily relate to the main professional
exams, we typically experience higher revenues in the first half of each fiscal year. Additionally, as the majority of our course
participants for professional continuing education courses take such courses in the second half of the calendar year, we typically
experience higher revenues during the quarters ending September 30 and December 31 of each fiscal year. As a result, we historically
have generated higher revenue in the second half of each fiscal year. Furthermore, our revenues may be significantly affected by the
timing of various exams. For example, the 2015 CPA Qualification Exam, which was originally held in September, was postponed to
October 2015. As a result, deferred revenue relating to such exam was not fully recognized in fiscal year 2015, but was recognized
over a longer period of time through October 2015. In addition, as the mix of exams and course subjects changes over time, we expect
to continue experiencing seasonality based on the timing of various exams. These fluctuations could result in volatility and adversely
affect the price of our ADSs. As our revenues grow, these seasonal fluctuations may become even more pronounced. For more
details, see “Item 4.B. Business Overview — Seasonality.”
Higher labor costs, inflation and implementation of stricter labor laws in China may adversely affect our business and our
profitability.
Labor costs in China have risen in recent years as a result of social development and increasing inflation in China. According to
the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the consumer price index in China increased by 2.6% and 2.0% in 2013 and 2014,
respectively. The average wage level for our employees has also increased in recent years. In addition, we are required by PRC laws
and regulations to pay various statutory employee benefits, including pensions, housing fund, medical insurance, work-related injury
insurance, unemployment insurance and childbearing insurance to designated government agencies for the benefit of our employees.
We expect that our labor costs, including wages and employee benefits, will continue to increase. Unless we are able to pass on these
increased labor costs to our course participants by increasing prices for our services or improving the utilization of our teachers and
our staff, our profitability and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, the PRC government has
promulgated new laws and regulations to enhance labor protection in recent years, such as the Labor Contract Law and the Social
Insurance Law. As the interpretation and implementation of these new laws and regulations are still evolving, our employment
practice may not be at all times be deemed in compliance with the new laws and regulations. If we are subject to penalties or incur
significant liabilities in connection with labor disputes or investigations, our business and profitability may be adversely affected.
Our failure to protect our intellectual property rights may undermine our competitive position, and litigation to protect our
intellectual property rights or defend against third party allegations of infringement may be costly and ineffective.
We believe that our copyrights, trademarks and other intellectual property are essential to our success. We depend to a large
extent on our ability to develop and maintain the intellectual property rights relating to our technology and products. We have
devoted considerable time and energy to the development and improvement of our websites, our online training platform and our
training courses and materials.
9
We rely primarily on copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and other contractual restrictions for the protection of the intellectual
property used in our business. Nevertheless, these provide only limited protection and the actions we take to protect our intellectual
property rights may not be adequate. Our trade secrets may become known or be independently discovered by our competitors. Third
parties have, in the past, pirated our courses, books and other course materials and may in the future infringe upon or misappropriate
our other intellectual property. Infringement upon, or misappropriation of, our proprietary technologies or other intellectual property
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results. Policing the unauthorized use of
proprietary technology can be difficult and expensive. Also, litigation may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights,
protect our trade secrets or determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others. The outcome of such potential
litigation may not be in our favor and any success in litigation may not be able to adequately protect our rights. Such litigation may be
costly and divert management’s attention away from our business. An adverse determination in any such litigation would impair our
intellectual property rights and may harm our business, prospects and reputation. Enforcement of judgments in China is uncertain,
and even if we are successful in litigation, it may not provide us with an effective remedy. In addition, we have no insurance coverage
against litigation costs and would have to bear all costs arising from such litigation to the extent we are unable to recover them from
other parties. The occurrence of any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and
results of operations.
We may be exposed to infringement claims by third parties or held liable for defamation or negligence to third parties for
information displayed on, retrieved from or linked by our websites, for the content of the books and reference materials or
marketing materials that we or our lecturers publish or distribute or for information delivered or shared through our services,
which could disrupt our business and cause us to incur substantial legal costs, or damage our reputation.
We cannot assure you that our services and products do not or will not infringe any intellectual property rights held by third
parties. We have in the past, in the ordinary course of business, experienced claims for intellectual property infringement, none of
which has had a material effect on our business. We cannot assure you that in the future we will not receive claims of infringement of
third parties’ proprietary rights or claims for indemnification resulting from infringement arising from our services or products. We
may also become subject to claims that content on our websites or in the books and reference materials or marketing materials that we
or our lecturers publish or distribute is protected by third parties’ copyrights or trademark.
In addition, as a provider of Internet content and other value-added telecommunications services, we may face liability for
defamation, negligence and other claims based on the nature and content of the materials displayed on our websites or delivered or
shared through our services. We could also be subject to claims based on content accessible on our websites or through our networks,
such as content and materials posted by visitors on message boards, online communities, or emails. By providing hypertext links to
third-party websites, we may be held liable for copyright or trademark violations by those third-party websites. Third parties could
assert claims against us for losses incurred in reliance on any erroneous information distributed by us.
Royalty or licensing agreements, if required, may not be available on acceptable terms, if at all. A successful claim of
infringement against us and our failure or inability to obtain a license to use the infringed or similar technology or content on
commercially acceptable terms, or at all, could prevent us from producing and offering our services or products or cause us to incur
great expense and delay in developing non-infringing services or products. Any of the above events could in turn have a material and
adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations. Any defamation or negligence claims against us, even if they do
not result in liability to us, could cause us to incur significant costs in investigating and defending against these claims. We do not
have general liability insurance to cover all potential claims to which we are exposed, and our insurance coverage may not be
adequate to indemnify us from all liability that may be imposed.
Concerns about the security of our transaction systems and confidentiality of information on the Internet may reduce use of our
services and impede our growth.
Public concerns over the security and privacy of electronic settlement, online transmittal and communications have to some
extent constrained the rapid development and expansion of online transactions. If these concerns are not adequately addressed, they
will restrict the growth of value-added telecommunications services generally and in particular the use of the Internet as a means of
conducting commercial transactions. If a well-publicized breach of security were to occur, general usage of value-added
telecommunications services could decline, which could reduce our visitor traffic and the number of course participants, and impede
our growth. We are continuously vigilant about protecting and improving our cyber security and have not experienced any material
cyber attacks on our information technology systems. We cannot assure you, however, that our current security measures will be
adequate or sufficient to prevent any theft or misuse of personal data of our course participants. Further, security breaches could
expose us to litigation and possible liability for failing to secure confidential customer information, and could harm our reputation and
ability to attract or retain course participants. In addition, we do not have any cyber security insurance coverage for our operations,
and any material cyber attack on our information technology systems and our online education websites could expose us to
substantial costs and losses.
10
The successful operation of our business depends upon the performance and reliability of the Internet infrastructure and
telecommunications networks in China.
Our business depends on the performance and reliability of the Internet infrastructure in China. Almost all access to the Internet
is maintained through state-controlled telecommunications operators. We cannot assure you that a more sophisticated Internet
infrastructure will be developed in China. We may not have access to alternative networks in the event of disruptions, failures or
other problems with China’s Internet infrastructure. In addition, the Internet infrastructure in China may not support the demands
associated with continued growth in Internet usage.
We also rely on China Telecommunications Corporation, or China Telecom, China United Network Communications Group
Co., Ltd., or China Unicom, and China Mobile Communications Corporation, or China Mobile, to provide us with data
communications capacity primarily through local telecommunications lines and Internet data centers to host our servers. We do not
have access to alternative services in the event of disruptions, failures or other problems with the telecommunications networks of
China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile or if they otherwise fail to provide such services. Any unscheduled service
interruption could disrupt our operations, damage our reputation and result in a decrease in our revenues.
Furthermore, we have no control over the costs of services provided by China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile. If the
prices that we pay for telecommunications and Internet services rise significantly, our gross profit and net income could be adversely
affected. In addition, if Internet access fees or other charges to Internet users increase, our visitor traffic may decrease, which in turn
may harm our revenues.
Unexpected network interruptions, security breaches or computer virus attacks and system failures could have a material adverse
effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any failure to maintain satisfactory performance, reliability, security or availability of our network infrastructure may cause
significant damage to our reputation and our ability to attract and maintain course participants. Major risks involving our network
infrastructure include:
•
breakdowns or system failures resulting in a prolonged shutdown of our servers, including failures attributable to power
shutdowns, or attempts to gain unauthorized access to our systems, which may cause loss or corruption of data or
malfunctions of software or hardware;
•
•
•
disruption or failure in the national backbone network, which would make it impossible for visitors and course participants
to log on to our websites;
damage from fire, flood, power loss and telecommunications failures; and
any infection by or spread of computer virus.
Any network interruption or inadequacy that causes interruptions in the availability of our websites or deterioration in the
quality of access to our websites could reduce course participant satisfaction and result in a reduction in the number of course
participants using our services. If sustained or repeated, these performance issues could reduce the attractiveness of our websites and
course offerings. In addition, any security breach caused by hackings, which involve attempts to gain unauthorized access to
information or systems, or to cause intentional malfunctions or loss or corruption of data, software, hardware or other computer
equipment, could cause a disruption in our services. Inadvertent transmission of computer viruses could expose us to a material risk
of loss of our course files or litigation and possible liability, as well as damage to our reputation.
Furthermore, increases in the volume of traffic on our websites could also strain the capacity of our existing computer systems,
which could lead to slower response times or system failures. This would cause a disruption or suspension in our course offerings,
which would hurt our brand and reputation, and thus negatively affect our revenue growth. We may need to incur additional costs to
upgrade our computer systems in order to accommodate increased demand if we anticipate that our systems cannot handle higher
volumes of traffic in the future.
All of our servers and routers, including backup servers, are currently hosted by third-party service providers in multiple cities
in China. We do not maintain any backup servers outside of these cities. To improve the performance and to prevent disruption of our
services, we may have to make substantial investments to deploy additional servers or one or more copies of our websites to mirror
our online resources.
11
We may continue to grant share options and/or restricted shares under our current or future share incentive plans, or modify the
terms of existing share options, which may continue to materially impact our future results of operations or result in dilution to
our shareholders.
We adopted our Share Incentive Plan in April 2008, or the Prior Plan, under which we had granted options for the purchase of a
total of 11,045,500 ordinary shares to selected officers, employees, and lecturers as of September 30, 2015. We adopted in July 2008,
and amended and restated in February 2009 and May 2012, respectively, our 2008 Performance Incentive Plan, or the New Plan,
under which we reserved a maximum number of 20,794,379 ordinary shares as of September 30, 2015, plus an automatic annual
adjustment. Pursuant to the New Plan, we had granted options for the purchase of a total of 5,962,500 ordinary shares, and issued
1,174,515 restricted shares, to selected directors, officers and employees as of September 30, 2015. In addition, we have reduced the
exercise price of certain options under our Prior and New Plans in the past. See “Item 6.B. Directors, Senior Management and
Employees — Compensation — Share Options, Restricted Shares and Share Incentive Plan.” In connection with the share options we
granted and restricted shares we issued, we incurred $0.6 million, $0.5 million and $1.8 million of share-based compensation
expenses in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. The expenses associated with options granted
and restricted shares issued under the share incentive plans may continue to impact our future results of operations. In addition, if we
grant additional options, restricted shares and other equity incentives in the future under our current or future share incentive plans, or
modify the terms of existing share options, we could further incur significant share-based compensation expenses, or experience a
reduction in our net income. Such actions could also result in dilution to our shareholders.
We may need additional capital but may not be able to obtain it on acceptable terms or at all.
We believe that our current cash and cash equivalents and anticipated cash flows from operations will be sufficient to meet our
anticipated working capital requirements and capital expenditures for at least the next 12 months. We do not anticipate that our
current expansion plans will require significant capital commitments due to the scalability of our business model. We do, however,
expect to spend money on the further development of our “Chinaacc” and “med66.com” brands and other brands in the disciplines for
which we offer courses. We do not expect our short-term and long-term cash requirements to be materially different.
Nevertheless, we may require additional sources of liquidity in the event of changes in business conditions or other future
developments. Factors affecting our sources of liquidity include, for example, mergers and acquisitions, our sales performance, ability
to control costs and expenses, and choice of financing arrangements. Any changes in the significant factors affecting our revenues
from education services may cause material fluctuations in our cash generated from operations. See “Item 5.A. Operating and
Financial Review and Prospects — Operating Results — Overview — Specific Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations” for a
description of these significant factors. Changes in working capital, including any significant shortening or lengthening of our
accounts receivable cycle or customer prepayment cycles, may also cause fluctuations in our cash generated from operations. If our
sources of liquidity are insufficient to satisfy our cash requirements, we may seek to sell additional equity or debt securities to meet
our cash needs. The sale of convertible debt securities or additional equity securities could result in dilution to our shareholders. The
incurrence of indebtedness would result in debt service obligations and could result in operating and financial covenants that restrict
our operations. Our ability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms is subject to a variety of uncertainties, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
investors’ perception of, and demand for, securities of companies mainly providing online professional education and test
preparation courses;
conditions of the U.S. and other capital markets in which we may seek to raise funds;
our future results of operations, financial condition and cash flows;
PRC governmental regulation of foreign investment in Internet, educational services and professional training services
companies;
economic, political and other conditions in China; and
PRC governmental policies relating to foreign currency borrowings.
We cannot assure you that financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all. Any failure by us to raise
additional funds on terms favorable to us, or at all, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and
results of operations.
12
We may not be able to effectively manage the expansion of our operations through new acquisitions or joint ventures or to
successfully realize the anticipated benefits of any such acquisition or joint venture.
We have historically complemented our organic growth through the selective acquisition of complementary businesses, assets,
products or technology, or the formation of joint ventures, and we may continue to do so in the future. The identification of suitable
acquisition targets or joint venture candidates can be difficult, time consuming and costly, and we may not be able to successfully
capitalize on identified opportunities. Consummation of acquisitions and the subsequent integration of new assets and businesses into
our own could also be costly and require significant attention from our management and could result in a diversion of resources from
our existing business, which in turn could have an adverse effect on our business operations. Acquired assets or businesses may not
generate the financial results we expect and may even result in us suffering losses. Moreover, completions of acquisitions are
typically subject to various approval processes. In addition to possible shareholders’ approval, we may also have to obtain approvals
and licenses from the relevant government authorities in the PRC for the acquisitions and to comply with any applicable PRC laws
and regulations, which could result in increased costs and delay. Furthermore, acquisitions or joint ventures could result in the use of
substantial amounts of cash, potentially dilutive issuances of equity or equity-linked securities or the incurrence of debt, the
incurrence of significant goodwill, intangible assets and other long-term assets impairment charges, amortization expenses for other
intangible assets and exposure to potential unknown liabilities of the acquired business, or other charges, any of which could have a
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The proposed listing of the shares of Zhengbao Yucai, on a stock exchange in China may not provide the benefits we
anticipate, and the listing could negatively impact holders of our ADSs.
We expect to submit, within the first quarter of 2016, an application to list Zhengbao Yucai on the National Equities Exchange
and Quotations, an emerging over-the-counter market in China (the “New Third Board”). Our ability to list Zhengbao Yucai on the
New Third Board is subject to various PRC exchange and regulatory approvals and filings, and as a result, there are significant
timing, qualification and other uncertainties in connection with the proposed listing of the shares of Zhengbao Yucai on the New
Third Board. There can be no assurance that Zhengbao Yucai will be listed on the New Third Board or that any initial public offering
will occur.
We may incur costs in connection with Zhengbao Yucai’s listing and possible share offerings. Even if we list Zhengbao Yucai
on the New Third Board, we may not realize the anticipated benefits of such listing, and Zhengbao Yucai’s operation as a listed
company may result in distraction of CDEL management. Even if Zhengbao Yucai remains our consolidated entity after the listing,
the ownership interest of our ADS holders in the earnings of Zhengbao Yucai’s operations could be diluted, depending on the amount
of funds raised, the returns on that funds and the manner in which that funds is raised (debt or equity). In addition, volatility in the
trading price of our ADSs may increase due to events more specifically impacting Zhengbao Yucai’s share trading price and
operations.
Our operations could be disrupted by an outbreak of fire or other calamities and we have limited insurance coverage.
We store books and audio and visual products at our premises to support our courses. As such, there is a risk that these products
and our premises may be damaged or destroyed by fire and other natural calamities. Any outbreak of fire or similar calamities at our
premises may result in the breakdown of our facilities and disruption to our business. In addition, any fire or other calamity at the
facilities of our third-party service providers that host our servers could severely disrupt our ability to deliver our courses and other
services over our websites.
At present, insurance companies in the PRC offer limited coverage for business related risks. As such, we only have a very
limited form of insurance for our property covering loss of property arising from theft, fire, lightning, explosives and damage caused
by aerial objects. We do not have any business liability or disruption insurance coverage for our operations, and our coverage may not
be adequate to compensate for all losses that may occur, particularly with respect to loss of business and reputation. Any business
disruption, litigation or natural disaster could expose us to substantial costs and losses.
Our financial performance and prospects could be affected by natural calamities or health epidemics.
Our business could be materially and adversely affected by natural calamities, such as floods and earthquakes or health
epidemics such as influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome or other epidemics. Any occurrence of natural calamities or
epidemics may result in the postponement or rescheduling of examinations, which may in turn have an adverse impact on our
revenues and performance. In addition, if our employees are affected by natural calamities or contagious or virulent diseases, we may
fail to provide our courses, materials and services in a timely manner, which will have an adverse impact on our financial
performance. We have not adopted any written preventive measures or contingency plans to combat any future natural calamities or
outbreak of epidemics. Any natural calamities or prolonged recurrence of adverse public health developments in China may have a
material and adverse effect on our business operations, financial performance and prospects.
13
We may be exposed to liability for our course content, information or advice we provide to our course participants or customers of
our other services.
We may be subject to legal claims from our course participants or customers of our other services for losses they suffer if such
losses arise from their reliance on content, information or advice that we provide to them. Such claims, with or without merit, may be
expensive to defend and may have an adverse impact on our reputation. Further, if such claims are successful, we may be held liable to
pay compensation which may in turn adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could have a material and adverse effect on the trading price
of our ADSs.
We are subject to the reporting obligations under the U.S. securities laws. The Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC,
as required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), has adopted rules requiring every public
company to include a report from management on the effectiveness of such companies’ internal control over financial reporting in its
annual report, which contains management’s assessment of the effectiveness of the company’s internal control over financial reporting.
In addition, an independent registered public accounting firm must issue an attestation report on the effectiveness of the company’s
internal control over financial reporting. These requirements apply to our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 2015.
Our management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of September 30, 2015. Our
independent registered public accounting firm has issued an attestation report, which has concluded that we maintained, in all material
aspects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2015. See “Item 15. Controls and Procedures.” However,
if we fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in the future, our management and our independent registered
public accounting firm may not be able to conclude that we have effective internal control over financial reporting at a reasonable
assurance level. This could negatively affect the reliability of our financial information and result in the loss of investors’ confidence in
our reported financial information, which in turn could negatively impact the trading price of our ADSs. Furthermore, we have incurred
and anticipate that we will continue to incur considerable costs, management time and other resources in an effort to comply with
Section 404 and other requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure and Restrictions on Our Industry
Substantial uncertainties and restrictions exist with respect to the interpretation and application of PRC laws and regulations
relating to the distribution of Internet content in China. If the PRC government finds that the structure we have adopted for our
business operations does not comply with PRC laws and regulations, we could be subject to severe penalties, including the shutting
down of our websites.
Foreign ownership of Internet-based businesses is subject to significant restrictions under current PRC laws and regulations. The
PRC government regulates Internet access, the distribution of online information and the conduct of online commerce through strict
business licensing requirements and other government regulations. These laws and regulations also include limitations on foreign
ownership in PRC companies that provide Internet content distribution services. Specifically, foreign investors in most areas of the PRC
(including the areas where we have operations) are not allowed to own more than 50% equity interests in any entity conducting Internet
content distribution business.
Because we are a Cayman Islands company and we hold the equity interests of our PRC subsidiaries indirectly through China
Distance Education Limited, a Hong Kong company, or CDEL Hong Kong, our PRC subsidiaries are treated as foreign invested
enterprises under PRC laws and regulations. To comply with PRC laws and regulations, we conduct our operations in China through a
series of contractual arrangements entered into among CDEL Hong Kong, our three PRC subsidiaries, Beijing Champion Distance
Education Technology Co., Ltd., or Champion Technology, Beijing Champion Education Technology Co., Ltd., or Champion Education
Technology and Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., or Zhongxi Healthcare Education, our
affiliated PRC entities, Beijing Champion and Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., or Champion Healthcare
Education, and their respective shareholders. Each of Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education is a PRC limited liability
company 79% owned by Zhengdong Zhu, our chairman and chief executive officer and a major shareholder, and 21% owned by
Baohong Yin, our co-founder and deputy chairman, both of whom are PRC citizens. Beijing Champion holds a Telecommunications and
Information Services Operating License, or ICP license, issued by the Beijing Telecommunications Administration Bureau, a local
branch of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or MIIT, which allows Beijing Champion to provide Internet
content distribution services. Each of Beijing Caikaowang Company Limited, or Caikaowang, and Beijing Champion Wangge
Education Technology Co., Ltd., or Champion Wangge, holds an ICP license issued by the Beijing Telecommunications Administration
Bureau. In addition, Beijing Champion holds a Permit of Internet Cultural Activities issued by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture,
which permits Beijing Champion to engage in production and dissemination of musical and entertainment products and animated
products through the Internet. The ICP licenses and other approvals held by Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries are essential to the
operation of our business.
14
As a result of these contractual arrangements, we control Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries, and Champion Healthcare
Education, and accordingly, under U.S. GAAP, we consolidate their operating results in our financial statements. Champion Healthcare
Education has not contributed any revenue since its incorporation. As of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, Champion
Healthcare Education did not account for any of our total assets or liabilities. For a description of these contractual arrangements, see
“Item 4.C. Information on the Company — Organizational Structure.”
The relevant PRC regulatory authorities have broad discretion in determining whether a particular contractual structure is in
violation of law. For example, on July 13, 2006, MIIT issued the Notice on Intensifying the Administration of Foreign Investment in
Value-added Telecommunications Services, or the MIIT Notice. The MIIT Notice prohibits a domestic telecommunications service
provider from leasing, transferring or selling telecommunications business operating licenses to any foreign investor in any form, or
providing any resources, sites or facilities to any foreign investor for its illegal operation of a telecommunications business in China.
According to the MIIT Notice, either the holder of a value-added telecommunications service license or its shareholders must directly
own the domain names and trademarks used by such license holder in its provision of value-added telecommunications services. The
MIIT Notice also requires each license holder to have the necessary facilities, including servers, for its approved business operations and
to maintain such facilities in the regions covered by its license. In order to comply with the MIIT Notice, we have transferred all domain
names and trademarks that are primarily used in connection with our online business activities from Champion Technology to Beijing
Champion.
Furthermore, if our ownership structure, contractual arrangements and businesses of our company, our PRC subsidiaries, Beijing
Champion or its subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare Education are found to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or
regulations, the relevant regulatory authorities would have broad discretion in dealing with such violations, including:
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revoking the business and operating licenses of our PRC subsidiaries, Beijing Champion or its subsidiaries, or Champion
Healthcare Education, which business and operating licenses are essential to the operation of our business;
levying fines;
confiscating our income, the income of our PRC subsidiaries or that of Beijing Champion or its subsidiaries or Champion
Healthcare Education;
shutting down our servers or blocking our websites;
discontinuing or restricting our operations or the operations of our PRC subsidiaries, Beijing Champion or its subsidiaries or
Champion Healthcare Education;
imposing conditions or requirements with which we, our PRC subsidiaries, Beijing Champion or its subsidiaries or Champion
Healthcare Education may not be able to comply;
requiring us, our PRC subsidiaries, Beijing Champion or its subsidiaries or Champion Healthcare Education to restructure our
relevant ownership structure, operations or contractual arrangements; and
taking other regulatory or enforcement actions that could be harmful to our business.
If the regulatory authorities take any of the above-mentioned measures against us, we may have to cease our business operations
and our reputation will be severely damaged, which in turn will materially and negatively affect our financial condition and results of
operations.
Our contractual arrangements may be subject to national security review under PRC laws and regulations and, thus, be challenged
by relevant regulatory authorities.
On February 3, 2011, the General Office of the State Council issued the Circular of the General Office of the State Council on the
Establishment of Security Review System for Foreign Investors’ Merger and Acquisition of Domestic Enterprises (the “Circular on the
Establishment of Security Review”), which became effective on March 4, 2011. Among other things, the Circular on the Establishment
of Security Review stipulates that the scope of the security review lies in foreign investors’ acquisition of domestic military enterprises,
military-related enterprises, enterprises involving sensitive military facilities and other enterprises that impact national defense security;
foreign investors’ acquisition of domestic enterprises which may provide foreign investors with de facto control over industries relating
to national security, such as important agricultural products, energy and natural resources, infrastructures, transportation services,
technologies and major equipment manufacturing. On August 25, 2011, the Ministry of Commerce issued the Circular of the Ministry of
Commerce on the Implementation of Security Review System for Foreign Investors’ Merger and Acquisition of Domestic Enterprises
(the “Circular on the Implementation of Security Review”), which became effective on September 1, 2011. Among other things, the
Circular on the Implementation of Security Review further specifies that whether a foreign investors’ acquisition of domestic enterprises
falls within the scope of the security review depends on the said transaction’s substantive content and practical influence. Foreign
investors shall not circumvent the security review through any arrangements or schemes, including but not limited to trust, lease and/or
contractual arrangements.
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According to our PRC counsel, as our contractual arrangements were established in 2004, the new security review system shall
not apply to our contractual arrangements. We cannot guarantee, however, that the Ministry of Commerce will not promulgate
additional implementing rules or new rules that will bring our contractual arrangements under the scope of the security review
system. Moreover, according to a press conference held by the Ministry of Commerce on September 20, 2011, there are no specific
laws or regulations governing contractual arrangements like the ones that we employ, but the Ministry of Commerce together with
other authorities would study how to regulate them in the future. Hence, we cannot assure you that our contractual arrangements will
not be subject to new regulations that will be issued by relevant regulatory authorities and that such new regulations will not have a
material adverse effect on our existing structure.
We rely on contractual arrangements with our affiliated PRC entities and their shareholders for our China operations, which may
not be as effective in providing operating control as direct ownership. If any of Beijing Champion, Champion Healthcare
Education or their shareholders fails to perform its or their obligations under these contractual arrangements, we may have to
legally enforce such arrangements and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and
adversely affected if these arrangements cannot be enforced.
PRC laws and regulations restrict foreign ownership in Internet-related content distribution businesses. Because of these
restrictions, we conduct our business and derive related revenues through contractual arrangements among CDEL Hong Kong, our
PRC subsidiaries, Beijing Champion, Champion Healthcare Education and their shareholders, Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong
Yin. We have no direct ownership interest in Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare Education. These contractual arrangements
may not be as effective in providing us with control over Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare Education as direct ownership.
If we were the controlling shareholder of Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare Education with direct ownership, we would be
able to exercise our rights as shareholders to effect changes in the board of directors, which in turn could implement changes, subject
to any applicable fiduciary obligations, at the management level. However, under the current contractual arrangements, as a legal
matter, if any of Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare Education fails to perform its obligations under these contractual
arrangements, we may have to (i) incur substantial costs and resources to enforce such arrangements, and (ii) rely on legal remedies
under PRC law, including contract remedies, which we cannot be sure would be effective. In the event that we are unable to enforce
these contractual arrangements, or if we suffer significant delays or other obstacles in the process of enforcing these contractual
arrangements, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
In addition, these contractual arrangements, including the Technical Support and Consultancy Services Agreement, Exclusive
Business Cooperation Agreement, Equity Pledge Agreements, Exclusive Purchase Rights Agreement, Tri-party Agreement re VIE
Structure and Exclusive Option Agreement, and the related Powers of Attorney and Letter of Undertaking, are governed by PRC law,
and most of these agreements (excluding the Powers of Attorney) provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration before the
China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Center, or CIETAC, in Beijing. Accordingly, these contracts would be
interpreted in accordance with PRC law and any disputes arising from these arrangements would be resolved through arbitration
before CIETAC or, in the case of disputes arising from the Powers of Attorney or Letter of Undertaking, through litigation in the
PRC, in each case in accordance with PRC legal procedures. Furthermore, although CIETAC may award the same type of relief to the
prevailing party in an arbitration proceeding as that granted by a court in a civil action, CIETAC does not have the authority to
enforce arbitral awards. In the event that we prevail in an arbitration proceeding before CIETAC, we may nevertheless have to apply
to a PRC court for the enforcement of the arbitral award relating to the contractual arrangements. The legal environment in the PRC
may not be as developed as in some other jurisdictions, such as the United States. See “—General Risks Relating to Conducting
Business in China —The PRC legal system embodies uncertainties that could limit the legal protections available to you and us . “ As
a result, although the enforceability of the contractual arrangements may not be affected, the manner of enforcement may be unclear.
In the event that we are unable to enforce these contractual arrangements to the fullest extent, we may not be able to exert effective
control over our affiliated entities, and our ability to conduct our business would be materially and adversely affected.
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Pursuant to the Equity Pledge Agreements entered into by Champion Technology and Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong
Yin, respectively, Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong Yin agree to pledge their equity interests in Beijing Champion to us to
secure Beijing Champion’s performance of its obligations under the relevant contractual arrangements. Pursuant to the Equity Pledge
Agreement entered into by Zhongxi Healthcare Education and Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong Yin, Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and
Ms. Baohong Yin agree to pledge their equity interests in Champion Healthcare Education to us to secure Champion Healthcare
Education’s performance of its obligations under the relevant contractual arrangements. The equity pledges under the Equity Pledge
Agreements entered into by Champion Technology and Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong Yin, respectively, have been
registered with the relevant local branch of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, or SAIC. The equity pledges under
the Equity Pledge Agreement entered into by Zhongxi Healthcare Education and Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong Yin are in the
process of being registered with the relevant local branch of the SAIC. According to the PRC Property Law and PRC Guarantee Law,
the pledgee and the pledgor are prohibited from making an agreement prior to the expiration of the debt performance period to
transfer the ownership of the pledged equity to the pledgee when the obligor fails to pay the debt due. However, under the PRC
Property Law, when an obligor fails to pay its debt when due, the pledgee may choose to either conclude an agreement with the
pledgor to obtain the pledged equity or seek payments from the proceeds of the auction or sell-off of the pledged equity. If Beijing
Champion or Champion Healthcare Education or their shareholders fail to perform their respective obligations secured by the pledges
under the Equity Pledge Agreements, one remedy in the event of default under the agreements is to require the pledgor to sell the
equity interests of Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare Education, as applicable, in an auction or private sale and remit the
proceeds to us, net of related taxes and expenses. Such an auction or private sale may not result in our receipt of the full value of the
equity interests in Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare Education, as applicable.
The shareholders of Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education may have potential conflicts of interest with us,
which may materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.
Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong Yin are husband and wife, and shareholders of Beijing Champion and Champion
Healthcare Education, holding equity interests of 79% and 21%, respectively, in each of Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare
Education. The interests of Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin as shareholders of Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education may
differ from our interests. Although both of Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin have given undertakings to act in the best interests of Champion
Technology and Zhongxi Healthcare Education, we cannot assure you that when conflicts arise, these individuals will act in our best
interests or that conflicts will be resolved in our favor. In addition, Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin may breach or cause Beijing Champion and
its subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare Education to breach or refuse to renew the existing contractual arrangements with us.
Currently, we do not have arrangements to address potential conflicts of interest Mr. Zhu or Ms. Yin may encounter in his or her
capacity as a record owner and director of Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education, on the one hand, and as a
beneficial owner and director of our company, on the other hand. We rely on Beijing Champion, Champion Healthcare Education,
Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin to comply with the laws of China, which protect contracts, including the contractual arrangements among
Beijing Champion, its subsidiaries, Champion Healthcare Education, their respective shareholders and us, which provide that Mr. Zhu
and Ms. Yin should act in the best interest of our company despite being record owners of Beijing Champion and Champion
Healthcare Education. We also rely on Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin to abide by the laws of the Cayman Islands, which provide that directors
have a duty of care and a duty of loyalty to act honestly, in good faith and in our best interests. However, the legal frameworks of
China and the Cayman Islands do not provide guidance on resolving conflicts in the event of a conflict with another corporate
governance regime. If we cannot resolve any conflicts of interest or disputes among us, Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare
Education, as applicable, Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which could result in disruption of our
business and subject us to substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings.
We may lose the ability to use and enjoy assets held by Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare
Education that are important to the operation of our business if any of such entities goes bankrupt or becomes subject to a
dissolution or liquidation proceeding.
As part of our contractual arrangements with Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education, Beijing Champion and its
subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare Education hold certain assets that are important to the operation of our business. If Beijing
Champion, any of its subsidiaries or Champion Healthcare Education goes bankrupt and all or part of their assets become subject to
liens or rights of third-party creditors, we may be unable to continue some or all of our business activities, which could materially and
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. If Beijing Champion, any of its subsidiaries or Champion
Healthcare Education undergoes a voluntary or involuntary liquidation proceeding, the unrelated third-party creditors may claim
rights to some or all of these assets, thereby hindering our ability to operate our business, which could materially and adversely affect
our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Contractual arrangements among us, our subsidiaries, subsidiaries of Beijing Champion, Beijing Champion and Champion
Healthcare Education may be subject to scrutiny by the PRC tax authorities and a finding that we, subsidiaries of Beijing
Champion, Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare Education owe additional taxes could substantially reduce our
consolidated net income.
Under PRC laws and regulations, arrangements and transactions among related parties may be subject to audit or challenge by
the PRC tax authorities. We could face material and adverse tax consequences if the PRC tax authorities determine that the
contractual arrangements and transactions among our subsidiaries, subsidiaries of Beijing Champion, Beijing Champion and
Champion Healthcare Education do not reflect an arm’s length price and adjust the income of our subsidiaries, or that of Beijing
Champion or its subsidiaries or Champion Healthcare Education by means of a transfer pricing adjustment. A transfer pricing
adjustment could, among other things, result in a reduction, for PRC tax purposes, of expense deductions recorded by Beijing
Champion and Champion Healthcare Education, which could in turn increase their respective tax liabilities without reducing tax
expenses of our subsidiaries and subsidiaries of Beijing Champion. In addition, the PRC tax authorities may impose late payment fees
and other penalties on Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education for underpayment of taxes. Our consolidated net
income may be materially and adversely affected if Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare Education’s tax liabilities increase or
if any of them is found to be subject to late payment fees or other penalties.
We may rely principally on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC subsidiaries for our cash requirements,
but such dividends and other distributions are subject to restrictions under PRC law. Limitations on the ability of our PRC
subsidiaries to transfer funds to us could materially and adversely affect our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions, pay
dividends, and otherwise fund and conduct our businesses.
Current PRC regulations permit our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to us only out of their accumulated profits, if any,
determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. However, our PRC subsidiaries are required under PRC
laws and regulations to allocate a portion of their annual after-tax profits, if any, to certain statutory reserves and funds prior to
declaring and remitting dividends. For example, our PRC subsidiaries are required to allocate at least 10% of their after-tax profits to
statutory reserves each year until such reserves reach 50% of their respective registered capital. Allocations to these statutory reserves
and funds can be used only for specific purposes and are not transferable to us in the form of loans, advances or cash dividends. As a
result, our PRC subsidiaries are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to us.
On July 5, 2013, the People’s Bank of China (“PBOC”) circulated the “Notice of the People’s Bank of China on Simplifying the
Procedures for Cross-border Renminbi Business Processes and Improving the Relevant Policies” (“Notice 168”), which improves the
efficiency of cross-border Renminbi settlement and facilitates banking financial institutions and enterprises to conduct the cross-
border settlement in Renminbi. Under Notice 168, the non-financial institutions within the territory of China may apply to the
domestic banks for Renminbi overseas lending settlement business. The non-financial institutions within the territory of China that
develop Renminbi overseas lending business shall, according to the Administrative Measures on Renminbi Bank Settlement Accounts
(Order of PBOC 2003 No.5 Released) and other regulations on bank settlement accounts management, apply to the domestic banks to
open Renminbi special deposit accounts which will be used for Renminbi overseas lending. The Renminbi overseas loans must be
recovered in Renminbi through the Renminbi special deposit account from which the loans are remitted, and the returned amount
shall not exceed the aggregate principal, interest, domestic income tax, relevant fees and other reasonable income.
If we lose control over the chops, seals or business licenses or private non-enterprise entity registration certificates of Beijing
Champion and its subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare Education, our business and operations could be materially and
adversely affected.
Our PRC affiliated entities Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare Education have certain controlling
non-tangible assets, such as chops, seals and their business licenses for entering into contracts, dealing with banks or taking certain
official actions including registering any change to the composition of the board or senior management team with relevant PRC
authorities.
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Under the PRC law, legal documents for various transactions, including government filings, agreements and contracts, are
executed using chops or seals of the signing entity or with the signature of the legal representative whose designation is registered and
filed with the relevant industry and commerce administration authorities. We generally execute legal documents by affixing chops or
seals, rather than having the designated legal representatives sign the documents. Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries and
Champion Healthcare Education have four types of chops and seals: the entity chop, the contract chop, the legal representative seal
and the finance chop. The entity chop is generally used for documents to be submitted to government agencies, such as applications
for changing business scope, directors or entity name, and for other legal letters. The contract chop is used for executing leases and
commercial contracts, including service contracts with our course participants. The legal representative seal is normally used for
issuing checks. The finance chop is generally used for making and collecting payments, including, but not limited to issuing invoices.
Beijing Champion’s and its subsidiaries’ and Champion Healthcare Education’s business licenses are required to be presented for
(i) application, registration and modification of other licenses and qualifications; (ii) opening bank accounts and (iii) purchase of real
properties or motor vehicles.
Under the internal policies adopted by us for Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare Education, the
use of chops and seals must be approved by the top management before the custodians, normally one of the top ranking managers of
these assets, may affix the chops and seals to legal documents for approved uses. The management’s approval is required before the
business licenses of Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare Education can be taken offsite.
Similar to the other aspects of Beijing Champion’s and its subsidiaries’ and Champion Healthcare Education’s business
operations, we control Beijing Champion’s and its subsidiaries’ and Champion Healthcare Education’s controlling non-tangible assets
through our control over Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare Education, which in turn is based on our
contractual arrangements with Beijing Champion and its shareholders and Champion Healthcare Education, respectively, rather than
through direct ownership. As one of the measures to maintain the control over Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries and Champion
Healthcare Education, we appoint the legal representatives and the senior management team for each of Beijing Champion, its
subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare Education. To maintain their physical security, we require all chops, seals, business licenses to
be stored in secured locations accessible only to the designated custodians.
Our procedures and measures may not be sufficient to prevent all instances of abuse or unauthorized actions. If we fail to
maintain effective control over these controlling non-tangible assets for any reason, or if any of these controlling non-tangible assets
were misused or misappropriated by the authorized users, whether as a result of labor disputes or other disputes, such persons’
malfeasance or any other reason, these controlling non-tangible assets may be used to (i) transfer assets of the affected entities
without our approval, (ii) bind the affected entities with obligations against our interest which we would be forced to fulfill,
(iii) obstruct the affected entities’ cash flow and financing, or (iv) prevent the affected entities from completing the required
administrative procedures, which will result in the loss of such entities’ valid existence. If the legal representative or person
designated with the responsibility to control the non-tangible assets of a local entity of Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries or
Champion Healthcare Education misuses or misappropriates the controlling intangible assets in any manner, or otherwise acts against
our instruction in an effort to seize control over such entity, we would need to have a shareholder or board resolution to take legal
actions to seek the return of these assets, apply to the relevant authorities for new chops, seals, business licenses or private non-
enterprise entity registration certificates, or otherwise seek legal remedies against such person, which may be time-consuming and
may not be sufficient or timely to remedy all the harms caused. During any period in which we lose effective control of the activities
as a result of such loss of control over or misuse or misappropriation of these non-tangible assets, the business activities of the
affected entity may be severely disrupted and we could lose the economic benefits of that aspect of Beijing Champion and its
subsidiaries’ and Champion Healthcare Education’s business, which may materially and adversely affect our overall business
operations, our financial position and results of operations.
If any of our affiliated entities fails to obtain and maintain the licenses and approvals required to conduct its business in China,
our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
The Internet industry in China is highly regulated by the PRC government. Various regulatory authorities of the central PRC
government are empowered to issue and implement regulations governing various aspects of the Internet industry. Each of our
affiliated entities including Beijing Champion, Caikaowang, Champion Wangge and Champion Healthcare Education is required to
obtain and maintain applicable licenses or approvals from different regulatory authorities in order to provide its current services. Our
affiliated entities have obtained primary approvals including an ICP license for our 17 websites. These licenses are essential to the
operation of our business and are generally subject to annual review by the relevant governmental authorities. Our affiliated entities,
however, may be required to obtain additional licenses, such as an Internet Publishing License for engaging in Internet publishing and
an Internet News Information Services Provision Approval for engaging in distribution of news through the Internet. If any of our
affiliated entities fails to obtain or maintain any of the required licenses or approvals, its continued business operations in the Internet
industry may subject it to various penalties, such as confiscation of illegal revenues, fines and the discontinuation or restriction of its
operations. Any such disruption in the business operations of our affiliated entities will materially and adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
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If we are unable to re-register or obtain the necessary license as required by the Administrative Measures Regarding Internet
Audio-Video Program Services, or the Internet Audio-Video Program Measures, in a timely manner or at all, our equity
ownership structure may require significant restructuring, or we may become subject to significant penalties, fines, legal
sanctions or an order to suspend our use of audio-video content, in which case our business, financial condition and results of
operations may be materially and adversely affected.
On December 20, 2007, the State Administration of Press Publication Radio Film and Television, or SAPPRFT, and the MIIT
issued the Internet Audio-Video Program Measures, which became effective on January 31, 2008. Among other things, the Internet
Audio-Video Program Measures stipulate that no entities or individuals may provide Internet audio-video program services without a
License for Disseminating Audio-Video Programs through Information Network issued by SAPPRFT or its local counterparts or
completing the relevant registration with SAPPRFT or its local counterparts and only entities wholly owned or controlled by the PRC
government may engage in the production, editing, integration or consolidation, and transfer to the public through the Internet, of
audio-video programs, and the provision of audio-video program uploading and transmission services. On February 3, 2008,
SAPPRFT and MIIT jointly held a press conference in response to inquiries related to the Internet Audio-Video Program Measures,
during which SAPPRFT and MIIT officials indicated that providers of audio-video program services established prior to the
promulgation date of the Internet Audio-Video Program Measures that do not have any regulatory non-compliance records can re-
register with the relevant government authorities to continue their current business operations. After the conference, the two
authorities published a press release that confirms the above guidelines. On September 15, 2009, SAPPRFT promulgated a notice
regarding the issues of management of Internet Audio-Video Program Services License, which provides that the application for re-
registration of the Internet Audio-Video Program Services License shall be closed on December 20, 2009.
Due to uncertainties with respect to the interpretation and application of the Internet Audio-Video Program Measures, each year,
we and our PRC counsel consult the Beijing Branch of SAPPRFT, or Beijing SAPPRFT, which is the competent authority in Beijing
to grant the License for Disseminating Audio-Video Programs through Information Network, regarding whether online education
services providers like us that provide audio-video educational courses and programs through the Internet only to enrolled course
participants should apply for the said license. Prior to 2011, the officials in Beijing SAPPRFT consistently conveyed to us that we
were not required to apply for the said license as we only transmit audio-video educational courses and programs through the Internet
to enrolled course participants instead of the general public. However, in January 2011, a joint administrative enforcement
commission of the Beijing government (including Beijing SAPPRFT) issued a warning to us and fined us RMB6,000 ($897) for
providing audio-video educational courses without obtaining the License for Disseminating Audio-Video Programs through
Information Network. Thereafter, we submitted our application for such license to Beijing SAPPRFT. On August 1, 2011, Beijing
SAPPRFT sent us an official response stating that it determined that we are not required to obtain the License for Disseminating
Audio-Video Programs because our numerous education-related activities do not fall under the “Internet audio-visual services
program.” We cannot guarantee that Beijing SAPPRFT will not change its position or that the reply will not be challenged by higher
authorities in China, or that we will not be asked to obtain the said license again. If the regulatory authorities take any such action
against us, it may materially and adversely affect our business. Moreover, if we are asked to re-register with relevant authorities or
obtain the required license, we cannot assure you that our future application(s) will be approved by relevant authorities in a timely
manner or at all. If we are subsequently required to and are unable to re-register or obtain the necessary license timely, or at all, due to
reasons beyond our control, our equity ownership structure may require significant restructuring, or we may become subject to
significant penalties, fines, legal sanctions or an order to suspend our use of audio-video content, any of which could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects, as well as the trading price of our ADSs.
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Regulation and censorship of information distribution over the Internet in China may adversely affect our business, and we may
be liable for information displayed on, retrieved from or linked to our websites.
China has enacted laws and regulations governing Internet access and the distribution of news, information, audio-video
programs and other content, as well as products and services, through the Internet. In the past, the PRC government has prohibited the
distribution of information through the Internet that it deems in violation of PRC laws and regulations. Under regulations
promulgated by the State Council, MIIT, the State Press and Publication Administration and the Ministry of Culture, Internet content
providers and Internet publishers are prohibited from posting or displaying over the Internet content that, among other things:
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opposes the fundamental principles of the PRC constitution;
compromises state security, divulges state secrets, subverts state power or damages national unity;
harms the dignity or interests of the state;
incites ethnic hatred or racial discrimination or damages inter-ethnic unity;
sabotages China’s religious policy or propagates heretical teachings or feudal superstition;
disseminates rumors, disturbs social order or disrupts social stability;
propagates obscenity, pornography, gambling, violence, murder, fear or abets the commission of crimes;
insults or slanders a third party or infringes upon the lawful rights of a third party; and
includes other content prohibited by laws or regulations.
If any of our Internet content were deemed by the PRC government to violate any of the above content restrictions, we would
not be able to continue to display such content and could become subject to penalties, including confiscation of income, fines,
suspension of business and revocation of required licenses, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations. We may also be subject to potential liability for any unlawful actions of our clients or affiliates or
for content we distribute that is deemed inappropriate. It may be difficult to determine the type of content that may result in liability
to us, and if we are found to be liable, we may be prevented from operating our websites in China.
Any changes in the PRC foreign investment legal regime may materially and adversely affect our operations and the
contractual arrangements.
On January 19, 2015, the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (“MOFCOM”) circulated the “Foreign
Investment Law of the People’s Republic of China (Draft for Comment)” (“Draft Foreign Investment Law”) and “Notes to the
Foreign Investment Law of the People’s Republic of China (Draft for Comment)” (“Notes”), which proposed changes to the PRC
foreign investment legal regime and the treatment of the variable interest entity structure, and invited comments from the general
public on the Draft Foreign Investment Law. The New Foreign Investment Law (“New Foreign Investment Law”), if finally adopted,
may have material impact on the PRC foreign investment legal regime.
As there are substantial uncertainties regarding the future development of the PRC foreign investment legal regime, we cannot
assure that the PRC regulatory authorities will not determine that our corporate structure and the contractual arrangements violate
PRC laws, rules or regulations. We cannot rule out the possibility that there may be amendments to the Draft Foreign Investment Law
and the Notes before promulgation and implementation of the New Foreign Investment Law which may have a material adverse
impact on our Group at the time when they take effect. If any of Beijing Champion, its subsidiaries or Champion Healthcare
Education, or their future subsidiaries are found to be in violation of any future PRC foreign investment laws or regulations and/or
any other laws or regulations, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities would have broad discretion in dealing with such violations and
impose penalties which may result in material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business. In addition, if the imposition of
any of these penalties causes us to lose the rights to direct the activities of Beijing Champion, its subsidiaries or Champion Healthcare
Education, or our right to receive their economic benefits, we would no longer be able to consolidate these entities.
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General Risks Relating to Conducting Business in China
PRC economic, political and social conditions, as well as changes in any government policies, laws and regulations, could
adversely affect the overall economy in China or the prospects of the education market, which in turn could adversely affect our
business.
Substantially all of our operations are conducted in China, and substantially all of our revenues are derived from China.
Accordingly, our business, financial condition, results of operations, prospects and certain transactions we may undertake are subject,
to a significant extent, to economic, political and legal developments in China.
The PRC economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the amount of
government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. While the PRC
economy has experienced significant growth in the past two to three decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and
among various sectors of the economy. Demand for our products and services depends, in large part, on economic conditions in
China. Any slowdown in China’s economic growth may cause our potential course participants to delay or cancel their plans to
participate in our education courses, which in turn could reduce our net revenues.
Although the PRC economy has been transitioning from a planned economy to a more market-oriented economy since the late
1970s, the PRC government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies.
The PRC government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth through the allocation of resources, controlling
the incurrence and payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy and providing preferential
treatment to particular industries or companies. Changes in any of these policies, laws and regulations could adversely affect the
overall economy in China or the prospects of the education market, which could harm our business.
The PRC government has implemented various measures to encourage foreign investment and sustainable economic growth and
to guide the allocation of financial and other resources. While some of these measures benefit the overall PRC economy, they may
also have a negative effect on us. For example, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by
government control over capital investments, stricter employment policies for particular industries or changes in tax regulations that
are applicable to us. As the PRC economy is increasingly intricately linked to the global economy, it is affected in various respects by
downturns and recessions of major economies around the world, such as the past financial services and economic crises of these
economies. The various economic and policy measures the PRC government adopts to forestall economic downturns or shore up the
PRC economy may adversely affect our business. We cannot assure you that the PRC government will not repeal or alter these
measures or introduce new measures that will have a negative effect on us.
China’s social and political conditions are also not as stable as those of the United States and other developed countries. Any
sudden changes to China’s political system or the occurrence of widespread social unrest could have negative effects on our business
and results of operations. In addition, China has tumultuous relations with some of its neighbors and a significant further deterioration
in such relations could have negative effects on the PRC economy and lead to changes in governmental policies that would be
adverse to our business interests.
22
Evolution of and uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could adversely impact our
corporate structure and business and limit the legal protections available to you and us.
Unlike common law systems, the PRC legal system is based on written statutes and decided legal cases have little precedential
value. In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic
matters. The overall effect of legislation since then has been to significantly enhance the protections afforded to various forms of
foreign investment in China. Three of our PRC operating subsidiaries, Champion Technology, Champion Education Technology and
Zhongxi Healthcare Education, are wholly foreign-owned enterprises, and all are subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign
investment in China in general and laws and regulations applicable to wholly foreign-owned enterprises in particular. Our other PRC
operating subsidiaries, Zhengbao Yucai, Beijing Champion Accounting Education Technology Co., Ltd., or Champion Accounting
and Nanjing Champion Vocational Training School, or Nanjing Champion Training School, and PRC affiliated entities, Beijing
Champion, Caikaowang, Champion Wangge, Beijing Haidian District Champion Training School, or Beijing Champion Training
School, Beijing Champion Culture Development Co., Ltd., or Champion Culture, Beijing Champion Tax Management and Advisory
Co., Ltd., or Champion Tax Advisory, and Champion Healthcare Education are subject to laws and regulations governing the
formation and conduct of domestic PRC companies. Relevant PRC laws, regulations and legal requirements may change frequently,
and their interpretation and enforcement involve uncertainties. For example, the Ministry of Commerce published the draft Foreign
Investment Law for public comments on January 19, 2015, with the intention of reducing regulation of foreign investment in general
while also attempting to regulate new types of foreign investment in China, including those utilizing variable interest entity structure.
We utilize variable interest entities in our group structure and may be subject to stricter regulation if the Foreign Investment Law
comes into effect. In addition, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce the legal protection that we
enjoy either by law or contract. However, since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting
and implementing statutory terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the
level of legal protection we enjoy than under more developed legal systems. Such uncertainties, including the inability to enforce our
contracts and intellectual property rights, could materially and adversely affect our business and operations. Accordingly, we cannot
predict the effect of future developments in the PRC legal system, particularly with respect to the education sector, including the
promulgation of new laws, changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, or the preemption of local
regulations by national laws. These uncertainties could adversely impact our corporate structure and business and limit the legal
protections available to us and other foreign investors.
Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in foreign currency exchange losses.
We report our financial results in U.S. dollars, and appreciation or depreciation in the value of the Renminbi (which is the
currency in which substantially all of our revenues, expenditures and bank borrowings are denominated) relative to the U.S. dollar
would affect our financial results reported in U.S. dollars terms without giving effect to any underlying change in our business or
results of operations. Fluctuations in the exchange rate will also affect the relative value of any dividend we issue that will be
exchanged into U.S. dollars and earnings from and the value of any U.S. dollar-denominated investments we make in the future.
The Renminbi’s exchange rate with the U.S. dollar and other currencies is affected by, among other things, changes in China’s
political and economic conditions and China’s foreign exchange policies. The People’s Bank of China regularly intervenes in the
foreign exchange market to limit fluctuations in Renminbi exchange rate and achieve certain exchange rate targets, and through such
intervention kept the U.S. dollar-Renminbi exchange rate relatively stable within a very narrow range against the U.S. dollar
(remaining within 1% of its July 2008 high) for almost two years from July 2008. On June 20, 2010, the People’s Bank of China
announced that the PRC government would further reform the Renminbi exchange rate regime and increase the flexibility of the
exchange rate. On March 15, 2014, the People’s Bank of China announced that it further expanded the daily RMB against U.S. dollar
trading band of the inter-bank spot foreign exchange market from 1% to 2% as of March 17, 2014, to allow Renminbi to move more
freely and better reflect market supply and demand. On August 11, 12 and 13, 2015, the People’s Bank of China significantly
devalued the Renminbi by fixing its price against the U.S. dollar 1.9%, 1.6%, and 1.1% lower than the previous day’s value,
respectively. There remains significant international pressure on the PRC government to adopt a substantial liberalization of its
currency policy, which could result in a further and more significant change in the value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar.
Very limited hedging transactions are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have
not entered into any hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide
to enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these hedging transactions may be limited and we
may not be able to successfully hedge our exposure at all. In addition, our currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC
exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert Renminbi into foreign currency.
23
The discontinuation of any of the preferential tax treatments currently available to our PRC subsidiaries, Champion Technology,
and Zhengbao Yucai and affiliated entity, Beijing Champion, could materially increase our tax liabilities.
In March 2007, the National People’s Congress enacted the Enterprise Income Tax Law, or the EIT Law, and in December
2007, the State Council promulgated the implementation rules of the EIT Law, both of which became effective on January 1, 2008.
The EIT Law significantly curtails tax incentives granted to foreign-invested enterprises under the previous tax law. The EIT Law,
however, (i) reduces the statutory rate of enterprise income tax from 33% to 25%, (ii) permits companies to continue to enjoy their
existing tax incentives, subject to certain transitional phase-out rules, and (iii) introduces new tax incentives, subject to various
qualification criteria. The EIT Law and its implementing rules permit qualified “high and new technology enterprises” to enjoy a
reduced 15% EIT rate. The qualification criteria are significantly higher than those prescribed by the old tax rules. Beijing Champion
and Champion Technology obtained the qualification certificates of high and new technology enterprises under the EIT Law on
December 24, 2008 with a valid period of three years starting from January 1, 2008 and renewed the certificates in 2011 and 2014,
respectively, for another three years. As a result, Beijing Champion was and will be subject to the tax rate of 15% from 2008 through
2016. Champion Technology was subject to the tax rate of 7.5% for 2008 through 2009 and was and will be subject to 15% from
2010 through 2016. In addition, Zhengbao Yucai obtained the qualification certificate of high and new technology enterprise under
the EIT Law on November 12, 2012 with a valid period of three years starting from January 1, 2012, and renewed the certificate in
2015 for another three years. As a result, Zhengbao Yucai was subject to the tax rate of 15% from 2012 through 2017. The continued
qualification of a high and new technology enterprise will be subject to annual evaluation and a three-year review by the relevant
government authority in China. The PRC tax policies, interpretations, and practices regarding the overlap, phase-out, and transition of
preferential treatments is subject to continuous change and uncertainty and we cannot assure you that Beijing Champion, Champion
Technology and Zhengbao Yucai will continue to qualify as high and new technology enterprises under the EIT Law, enjoy the
preferential treatments under the phase-out rules, not encounter any challenges regarding past application for such treatments, or that
the local tax authorities will not, in the future, change their position and revoke any of our past preferential tax treatments. The
discontinuation of any of our preferential tax treatments could materially increase our tax obligations.
Any increase in the enterprise income tax rate applicable to us or discontinuation or reduction of any of the preferential tax
treatments currently enjoyed by our PRC subsidiaries, Champion Technology and Zhengbao Yucai, and affiliated entity, Beijing
Champion, could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.
Under China’s EIT Law, we may be classified as a “resident enterprise” of China. Such classification could result in unfavorable
tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders.
Under the EIT Law, an enterprise established outside of China with “de facto management bodies” within China is considered a
“resident enterprise,” and will generally be subject to the uniform 25% PRC enterprise income tax rate on its global income. The
implementing rules of the EIT Law define de facto management as “substantial and overall management and control over the
production and operations, personnel, accounting, and properties” of the enterprise. A circular issued by the State Administration of
Taxation ( the “SAT”), or Circular 82, on April 22, 2009 provides that a foreign enterprise controlled by a PRC company or a PRC
company group will be classified as a “resident enterprise” with its “de facto management bodies” located within China if the
following requirements are satisfied: (i) the senior management and core management departments in charge of its daily operations
function are mainly in the PRC; (ii) its financial and human resources decisions are subject to determination or approval by persons or
bodies in the PRC; (iii) its major assets, accounting books, company seals, and minutes and files of its board and shareholders’
meetings are located or kept in the PRC; and (iv) at least half of the enterprise’s directors with voting right or senior management
reside in the PRC. In addition, the SAT issued the Announcement of the SAT on Printing and Distributing the Administrative
Measures for Oversea Registered Chinese-capital Controlled Tax Resident Enterprises (Trial), the Announcement 45, on July 27,
2011, effective September 1, 2011, providing more guidance on the implementation of Circular 82. Announcement 45 clarifies
matters including residence status determination, post-determination administration and competent tax authorities.
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Our management is currently based in China and expected to remain in China. However, Circular 82 and Announcement 45
only apply to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups, not those controlled by PRC individuals or
foreign corporations like us. In the absence of detailed implementing regulations or other guidance determining that offshore
companies controlled by PRC individuals or foreign corporations like us are PRC resident enterprises, we do not currently consider
CDEL Cayman to be a PRC resident enterprise. However, the SAT may take the view that the determining criteria set forth in
Circular 82 and Announcement 45 reflect general position on how the “de facto management body” test should be applied in
determining the tax resident status of all offshore enterprises. Or additional implementing regulations or guidance may be issued
determining that CDEL Cayman is a “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. The “resident enterprise” rule
could be applied to CDEL Hong Kong as our intermediate holding company, Practice Enterprises Network China International Links
Limited, or PENCIL, DL Education Service, LLC, or DL Education, China Healthcare Investment Limited, or China Healthcare
Investment, and China Healthcare Education Limited, or China Healthcare Education with similar consequences. If the PRC tax
authorities determine that CDEL Cayman, CDEL Hong Kong, PENCIL, DL Education, China Healthcare Investment, and China
Healthcare Education are “resident enterprises” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes, a number of unfavorable PRC tax
consequences could follow. First, we may be subject to enterprise income tax at a rate of 25% on our worldwide taxable income, as
well as PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations. Second, although under the EIT Law and its implementing rules, a dividend
income between qualified resident enterprises is a “tax-exempt income,” we cannot guarantee that dividends paid to CDEL Cayman
from our PRC subsidiaries through CDEL Hong Kong and China Healthcare Education would qualify as “tax-exempt income” and
will not be subject to withholding tax, as the PRC foreign exchange control authorities, which enforce the withholding tax, have not
yet issued guidance with respect to the processing of outbound remittances to entities that are treated as “resident enterprises” for
PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Finally, the new “resident enterprise” classification could result in a situation in which a 10%
withholding tax is imposed on dividends we pay to our non-PRC enterprise shareholders and gains derived by our non-PRC
enterprise shareholders from transferring our shares or ADSs are also subject to 10% withholding tax, if such income is considered
PRC-sourced income by the relevant PRC authorities. This could have the effect of increasing our and our shareholders’ effective
income tax rates and could also have an adverse effect on our net income and results of operations, and may require us to deduct
withholding tax amounts from any dividends we pay to our non-PRC shareholders.
In addition to the uncertainty in how the new “resident enterprise” classification could apply, it is also possible that the rules
may change in the future, possibly with retroactive effect. We are actively monitoring the possibility of “resident enterprise”
treatment for the 2015 tax year and are evaluating appropriate organizational changes to avoid this treatment, to the extent possible.
We may not be able to obtain certain treaty benefits on dividends paid to us by our PRC subsidiaries through our Hong Kong
Subsidiaries.
Under the EIT Law and its implementing rules, dividends generated from retained earnings after January 1, 2008 from a PRC
company and distributed to a foreign parent company are subject to a withholding tax rate of 10% unless the foreign parent’s
jurisdiction of incorporation has a tax treaty with China that provides for a preferential withholding arrangement. Pursuant to the
Arrangement between Mainland China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and
Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income, or the Hong Kong Tax Treaty, which became effective on
December 8, 2006, a company incorporated in Hong Kong, such as CDEL Hong Kong and China Healthcare Education, will be
subject to withholding income tax at a rate of 5% on dividends it receives from its PRC subsidiaries if it holds a 25% or more interest
in those particular PRC subsidiaries, or 10% if it holds less than a 25% interest in those subsidiaries. However, the SAT promulgated
a tax notice on October 27, 2009, or Circular 601, which provides that tax treaty benefits will be denied to “conduit” or shell
companies without business substance, and a beneficial ownership analysis will be used based on a “substance-over-the-form”
principle to determine whether or not to grant tax treaty benefits. On June 29, 2012, the SAT further issued the Announcement of the
SAT regarding Recognition of “Beneficial Owner” under Tax Treaties, or Announcement 30, which provides that a comprehensive
analysis should be made when determining the beneficial owner status based on various factors supported by various types of
documents including the articles of association, financial statements, records of cash movements, board meeting minutes, board
resolutions, staffing and materials, relevant expenditures, functions and risk assumption as well as relevant contracts and other
information. As a result, although our three PRC subsidiaries, Champion Education Technology, Champion Technology and Zhongxi
Healthcare Education, are currently wholly owned by our Hong Kong subsidiaries, we cannot assure you that we would be entitled to
the tax treaty benefits and enjoy the favorable 5% rate applicable under the Hong Kong Tax Treaty on dividends. If CDEL Hong
Kong and China Healthcare Education cannot be recognized as the beneficial owner of the dividends to be paid by Champion
Education Technology, Champion Technology and Zhongxi Healthcare Education, respectively, to us, such dividends will be subject
to a normal withholding tax of 10% as provided by the EIT Law and its implementing rules.
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If the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or CSRC, or another PRC regulatory agency determines that its approval was
required in connection with our initial public offering, we may become subject to penalties.
On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, including the CSRC, promulgated the Regulation on Mergers and Acquisitions
of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rule, which became effective on September 8, 2006, and was amended on
June 22, 2009. The M&A Rule, among other things, has certain provisions that require offshore special purpose vehicles, or SPVs,
formed for the purpose of acquiring PRC domestic companies and controlled by PRC individuals, to obtain the approval of the CSRC
prior to listing their securities on an overseas stock exchange. We believe, based on the opinion of our PRC legal counsel, Jingtian &
Gongcheng, that while the CSRC generally has jurisdiction over overseas listings of SPVs like us, CSRC’s approval was not required
for our initial public offering given the fact that our current corporate structure was established before the new regulation became
effective. However, there remains some uncertainty as to how this regulation will be interpreted or implemented in the context of an
overseas offering. If the CSRC or another PRC regulatory agency subsequently determines that its approval was required for our
initial public offering, we may face sanctions by the CSRC or another PRC regulatory agency. If this happens, these regulatory
agencies may impose fines and penalties on our operations in the PRC, limit our operating activities in the PRC, delay or restrict
capital contribution or shareholder loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries, restrict or prohibit payment or remittance of dividends by our
PRC subsidiaries to us or take other actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of
operations, reputation and prospects, as well as the trading price of our ADSs.
Complex procedures under PRC regulations for some acquisitions of PRC companies by foreign entities could make it more
difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China.
The M&A Rule establishes additional procedures and requirements that could make some acquisitions of PRC companies by
foreign entities, such as ours, more time-consuming and complex, including requirements in some instances that the Ministry of
Commerce be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign entity takes control of a PRC domestic
enterprise. In addition, national security review rules issued by the PRC governmental authorities in 2011 require acquisitions by
foreign investors of domestic companies engaged in military-related or certain other industries that are crucial to national security to
be subject to prior security review. Moreover, the Anti-Monopoly Law requires that the Ministry of Commerce shall be notified in
advance of any concentration of undertaking if certain thresholds are triggered. In the future, we may grow our business in part by
acquiring complementary businesses. Complying with the requirements of the M&A Rule, the Anti-Monopoly Law, the security
review rules, and other PRC regulations to complete such transactions could be time-consuming, and any required approval
processes, including obtaining approval from the Ministry of Commerce, may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such
transactions, which could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share.
PRC regulation of loans and direct investment by offshore holding companies to PRC entities may restrict our ability to make
loans to our PRC subsidiaries and PRC affiliated entities or to make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries,
which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
We are an offshore holding company conducting our operations in China through our PRC subsidiaries and our PRC affiliated
entities. From time to time, we plan to make loans to our PRC subsidiaries, whether currently in existence or to be formed in the
future, and to our PRC affiliated entities, whether currently in existence or to be formed in the future, or make additional capital
contributions to our PRC subsidiaries.
26
Any loans we make to our PRC subsidiaries cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the State Administration
of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, or its local counterparts. Under applicable PRC law, the government authorities must approve a
foreign-invested enterprise’s registered capital amount, which represents the total amount of capital contributions made by the
shareholders that have been registered with the registration authorities. In addition, the authorities must also approve the foreign-
invested enterprise’s total investment, which represents the total statutory capitalization of the company, equal to the company’s
registered capital plus the amount of loans it is permitted to borrow under the law. The ratio of registered capital to total investment
cannot be lower than the minimum statutory requirement and the excess of the total investment over the registered capital represents
the maximum amount of borrowings that a foreign invested enterprise is permitted to have under PRC law. If we were to make loans
to our PRC subsidiaries, we would have to apply to the relevant government authorities for an increase in their permitted total
investment amounts. The various applications could be time-consuming and their outcomes may be uncertain. Furthermore, even if
we make loans to our PRC subsidiaries that do not exceed their current maximum amount of borrowings, we will have to register
each loan with SAFE or its local counterpart for the issuance of a registration certificate of foreign debts. In practice, it could be time-
consuming to complete such SAFE registration process. Concurrently with the loans, we might have to make capital contributions to
these subsidiaries to maintain the statutory minimum registered capital and total investment ratio, and such capital contributions
involve uncertainties of their own. Further, SAFE promulgated another circular (known as Circular 19) on March 30, 2015 with
respect to the management approach regarding the settlement of foreign exchange capital of foreign-invested enterprises. Circular 19
permits foreign-invested enterprises to carry out domestic equity investment with the capital obtained from foreign exchange
settlement. Also, Circular 19 stipulates that the capital of foreign-invested enterprises and capital in Renminbi obtained by them from
foreign exchange settlement shall not be used for (i) the payment beyond the business scope of the enterprises or the payment
prohibited by national laws and regulations; (ii) investment in securities unless otherwise provided by laws and regulations;
(iii) granting entrustment loans in Renminbi (unless permitted by the scope of business), repaying the inter-enterprise borrowings
(including advances by the third party) or repaying the bank loans in Renminbi that have been sub-lent to the third party; and
(iv) paying the expenses related to the purchase of real estate not for self-use, except for the foreign-invested real estate enterprises. In
addition, SAFE promulgated Circular 59 on November 19, 2012 and revised the same on May 4, 2015, which requires the
authenticity of settlement of the fund from offshore offerings to be closely examined and such fund to be settled in the manner
described in the offering documents. Because our PRC affiliated entities are domestic PRC entities, we are not likely to finance their
activities by means of direct capital contributions due to regulatory issues relating to foreign investment in the online education
industry, as well as the licensing and other regulatory issues discussed in “Item 4.B. Information on the Company — Business
Overview — Regulations.” Any loans we make to any of our PRC affiliated entities, which is treated as a PRC domestic company
rather than a foreign-invested enterprise under PRC law, are also subject to various PRC regulations and approvals. Under applicable
PRC regulations, international commercial loans to PRC domestic companies are subject to various government approvals.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary government registrations or obtain the necessary
government approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries or PRC affiliated entities
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 capitalize or otherwise fund our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could adversely and
materially affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
PRC regulations relating to investments in offshore companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC-resident beneficial owners
or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiaries or limit our PRC
subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits.
SAFE promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control on Domestic Residents’ Offshore
Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, on July 4, 2014. SAFE
Circular 37 requires PRC residents to register with local branches of SAFE in connection with their direct establishment or indirect
control of an offshore entity, for the purpose of overseas investment and financing, with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or
equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests, referred to in SAFE Circular 37 as a “special purpose vehicle.”
SAFE Circular 37 further requires amendment to the registration in the event of any significant changes with respect to the special
purpose vehicle, such as increase or decrease of capital contributed by PRC individuals, share transfer or exchange, merger, division
or other material event. In the event that a PRC shareholder holding interests in a special purpose vehicle fails to fulfill the required
SAFE registration, the PRC subsidiaries of that special purpose vehicle may be prohibited from making profit distributions to the
offshore parent and from carrying out subsequent cross-border foreign exchange activities, and the special purpose vehicle may be
restricted in its ability to contribute additional capital into its PRC subsidiary. Moreover, failure to comply with the various SAFE
registration requirements described above could result in liability under PRC law for evasion of foreign exchange controls.
27
We may not be aware of the identities of all of our beneficial owners who are PRC residents. We do not have control over our
beneficial owners and cannot assure you that all of our PRC-resident beneficial owners will comply with SAFE Circular 37 and
subsequent implementation rules. The failure of our beneficial owners who are PRC residents to register or amend their SAFE
registrations in a timely manner pursuant to SAFE Circular 37 and subsequent implementation rules, or the failure of future beneficial
owners of our company who are PRC residents to comply with the registration procedures set forth in SAFE Circular 37 and
subsequent implementation rules, may subject such beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to fines and legal sanctions.
Furthermore, since SAFE Circular 37 was recently promulgated and it is unclear how this regulation, and any future regulation
concerning offshore or cross-border transactions, will be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant PRC government
authorities, we cannot predict how these regulations will affect our business operations or future strategy. Failure to register or
comply with relevant requirements may also limit our ability to contribute additional capital to our PRC subsidiaries and limit our
PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to our company. These risks may have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
We may be subject to fines and legal sanctions imposed by SAFE or other Chinese government authorities if we or our Chinese
employees fail to comply with Chinese regulations relating to employee share options granted by offshore listed companies to
Chinese citizens.
Under applicable PRC regulations, Chinese citizens who are granted share options by an offshore listed company are required,
through a Chinese agent, which can be a Chinese branch or representative of the offshore listed company, a Chinese institution which
has controlling relationship or actual control relationship with the offshore listed company or a Chinese institution qualified for asset
custody business, to register with the SAFE and complete certain other procedures, including applications for foreign exchange
payment quotas and opening special bank accounts. We and our Chinese employees who have been granted share options are subject
to such PRC regulations. If we or our Chinese employees fail to comply with these regulations, we or our Chinese employees may be
subject to fines and legal sanctions imposed by the SAFE or other Chinese government authorities, which may prevent us from
further granting options under our share incentive plans to our employees. Such events could adversely affect our business operations.
See “Item 4.B. Information on the Company — Business overview — Regulations — SAFE Regulations on Employee Share
Options.”
Restrictions on currency exchange may limit the ability of our PRC subsidiaries and affiliated entities to finance their activities .
Substantially all of our revenues and operating expenses are denominated in Renminbi. Restrictions on currency exchange
imposed by the PRC government may limit our ability to utilize revenues generated in Renminbi to fund our business activities
outside China, if any, or expenditures denominated in foreign currencies. Under current PRC regulations, Renminbi may be freely
converted into foreign currency for payments relating to “current account transactions,” which include among other things dividend
payments and payments for the import of goods and services, by complying with certain procedural requirements. Our PRC
subsidiaries may also retain foreign exchange in their respective current account bank accounts, subject to a cap set by SAFE or its
local counterpart, for use in payment of international current account transactions. Although conversion of Renminbi into foreign
currencies, and of foreign currencies into Renminbi, for payments relating to “capital account transactions,” which principally
includes investments and loans, generally requires the approval of SAFE and other relevant PRC governmental authorities, Notice
168 permits non-financial institutions within the territory of China to conduct the cross-border settlement in Renminbi. The interest
rates, terms and purposes of the overseas lending of the domestic non-financial institutions shall be determined through negotiation
by the lenders and borrowers in accordance with commercial principles within a reasonable scope. The Renminbi overseas loans must
be recovered in Renminbi through the Renminbi special deposit account from which the loans were conducted, and the returned
amount shall not exceed the aggregate principal, interest, domestic income tax, relevant fees and other reasonable income.
Any existing and future restrictions on currency exchange may continue to affect the ability of our PRC subsidiaries or affiliated
entities to finance their activities, or otherwise materially and adversely affect our business.
You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing original actions in
China based on United States or other foreign laws against us or our management.
We conduct substantially all of our operations in China and substantially all of our assets are located in China. In addition, most
of our directors and executive officers reside outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult to effect service of process
upon us or our directors or executive officers. In addition, you may find it difficult or impossible to bring an action against us or our
directors or executive officers in a PRC court if you believe your rights have been infringed under the U.S. federal securities law or
otherwise. Moreover, our PRC counsel has advised us that China does not have treaties with the United States or many other
countries providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of court orders.
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The audit report included in this annual report are prepared by auditors who are not inspected by the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board and, as such, you are deprived of the benefits of such inspection.
Our independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit reports included in our annual reports filed with the SEC,
as auditors of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the U.S. Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (United States), or the “PCAOB”, is required by the laws of the United States to undergo regular inspections by the
PCAOB to assess its compliance with the laws of the United States and professional standards. Because our auditor is located in the
Peoples’ Republic of China, a jurisdiction where the PCAOB is currently unable to conduct inspections without the approval of the
Chinese authorities, our auditor is not currently inspected by the PCAOB.
Inspections of other firms that the PCAOB has conducted outside China have identified deficiencies in those firms’ audit
procedures and quality control procedures, which may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit quality.
This lack of PCAOB inspections in China prevents the PCAOB from regularly evaluating our auditor’s audits and its quality control
procedures. As a result, investors may be deprived of the benefits of PCAOB inspections.
The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in China makes it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of
our auditor’s audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside of China that are subject to PCAOB
inspections. Investors may lose confidence in our reported financial information and procedures and the quality of our financial
statements.
If additional remedial measures are imposed on the Big Four PRC-based accounting firms, including our independent registered
public accounting firm, in the administrative proceedings brought by the SEC alleging the firms’ failure to meet specific criteria
set by the SEC, with respect to requests for the production of documents, we could be unable to timely file future financial
statements in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Starting in 2011, the Chinese affiliates of the “big four” accounting firms, including our independent registered public
accounting firm, were affected by a conflict between US and Chinese law. Specifically, for certain U.S. listed companies operating
and audited in mainland China, the SEC and the PCAOB sought to obtain from the Chinese firms access to their audit work papers
and related documents. The firms were, however, advised and directed that under China law they could not respond directly to the US
regulators on those requests, and that requests by foreign regulators for access to such papers in China had to be channeled through
the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC.
In late 2012, this impasse led the SEC to commence administrative proceedings under Rule 102(e) of its Rules of Practice and
also under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 against the Chinese accounting firms, including our independent registered public
accounting firm. A first instance trial of the proceedings in July 2013 in the SEC’s internal administrative court resulted in an adverse
judgment against the firms. The administrative law judge proposed penalties on the firms including a temporary suspension of their
right to practice before the SEC, although that proposed penalty did not take effect pending review by the Commissioners of the SEC.
On February 6, 2015, before a review by the Commissioner had taken place, the firms reached a settlement with the SEC. Under the
settlement, the SEC accepts that future requests by the SEC for the production of documents will normally be made to the CSRC. The
firms will receive matching Section 106 requests, and are required to abide by a detailed set of procedures with respect to such
requests, which in substance require them to facilitate production via the CSRC. If they fail to meet specified criteria, the SEC retains
authority to impose a variety of additional remedial measures on the firms depending on the nature of the failure. Remedies for any
future noncompliance could include, as appropriate, an automatic six-month bar on a single firm’s performance of certain audit work,
commencement of a new proceeding against a firm, or in extreme cases the resumption of the current proceeding against all four
firms.
In the event that the SEC restarts the administrative proceedings, depending upon the final outcome, companies listed in the
United States with major operations in the PRC may find it difficult or impossible to retain auditors in respect of their operations in
the PRC, which could result in financial statements being determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange
Act, including possible delisting. Moreover, any negative news about any such future proceedings against these audit firms may cause
investor uncertainty regarding China-based, United States-listed companies, and the market price of our ADSs may be adversely
affected.
If our independent registered public accounting firm were denied, even temporarily, the ability to practice before the SEC and
we were unable to timely find another registered public accounting firm to audit and issue an opinion on our financial statements, our
financial statements could be determined not to be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Such a determination could ultimately lead to the delisting of our ADSs from the NYSE or deregistration from the SEC, or both,
which would substantially reduce or effectively terminate the trading of our ADSs in the United States.
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Public shareholders of China-based, U.S.-listed companies and other market participants may no longer have access to a wide
array of corporate records of such listed companies’ PRC entities filed with industry and commerce administration authorities in
China. Loss of, or limit in, the access to such information may adversely affect overall investor confidence in China-based, U.S.-
listed companies’ reported results or other disclosures, including those of our company, and may cause the trading price of our
ADSs to decline.
All PRC corporate entities maintain corporate records and filings with industry and commerce administration authorities in the
cities where such PRC entities are registered. Information contained in such corporate records and filings includes, among others,
business address, registered capital, business scope, articles of association, equity interest holders, legal representative, changes to the
above information, annual financial reports, matters relating to termination or dissolution and information relating to penalties
imposed.
There have been regulations promulgated by various government authorities in China that govern the public access to corporate
records and filings. Under the Measures for Accessing Corporate Records and Filings promulgated on December 16, 1996 by the
State Administration of Industry and Commerce (the “SAIC”), or the SAIC measures, corporate records such as registration records,
registration documents submitted for approval, records relating to the change of the enterprise, records relating to the cancellation or
revocation of the enterprise and records relating to the supervision and inspection of the enterprise can be inspected by the public
through computers without restrictions, while a company’s book records and filings can only be inspected by authorized government
officials or lawyers involved in pending litigation relating to such company and with court-issued proof of such litigation. In practice,
local industry and commerce administration authorities in different cities have adopted various regional regulations which impose
more stringent restrictions than the SAIC measures by restricting the scope of information that the public can freely access. Many
local industry and commerce administration authorities only allow unrestricted public access to such basic corporate information as
name, legal representative, registered capital and business scope of a company. Under these local regulations, access to the other
corporate records and filings (many of which are not subject to restriction on access under the SAIC measures) is only granted to
authorized government officials or lawyers involved in pending litigation relating to such company and with court-issued proof of
such litigation.
However, neither the SAIC nor the local industry and commerce administration authorities were reported to have strictly
implemented the restrictions under either the SAIC measures or the various regional regulations before early 2012. As a result, before
early 2012, the public, including public shareholders of China-based, U.S.-listed companies and other market participants, such as
lawyers and research firms, were reported to be able to access all or most corporate records and filings of these listed companies’
PRC entities maintained with the industry and commerce administration authorities. Such records and filings were reported to have
formed important components of researches on certain China-based, U.S.-listed companies, which researches claimed to have
uncovered wrongdoings and fraud committed by these companies on the basis of (i) the disparities found between the listed
companies’ reported results and their PRC entities’ financial reports filed with industry and commerce administration authorities, and
(ii) information on material changes of the PRC entities, such as transfers of equity interests of significant PRC subsidiaries, that were
filed with the industry and commerce administration authorities but not properly disclosed by such listed companies as required under
the U.S. securities law and the SEC’s disclosure requirements. The significant disparities found between (i) certain China-based,
U.S.-listed companies’ reported results and other disclosure and (ii) their PRC entities’ financial reports and other records filed with
industry and commerce administration authorities were also reported to have formed the basis of several class actions against such
listed companies in the U.S.
It was reported that, since the first half of 2012, local industry and commerce administration authorities in a number of cities had
started strictly implementing the above restrictions and had significantly curtailed public access to corporate records and filings.
There have also been reports that only the limited scope of basic corporate records and filings are still accessible by the public, and
much of the previously publicly accessible information, such as financial reports and changes to equity interests, now can only be
accessed by the parties specified in, and in strict accordance with the restrictions under, the various regional regulations. Such
reported limitation on the public access to corporate records and filings and the resulting concerns over the loss of, or limit in, an
otherwise available source of information to verify and evaluate the soundness of China-based U.S.-listed companies’ business
operations in China may have a significant adverse effect on the overall investor confidence in China-based, U.S.-listed companies’
reported results or other disclosures, including those of our company, and may cause the trading price of our ADSs to decline.
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Risks Relating to Our ADSs
Stock prices of companies with business operations primarily in China have fluctuated widely in recent years, and the trading
prices of our ADSs are likely to be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors.
The trading prices of our ADSs are likely to be volatile and could fluctuate widely in response to factors beyond our control. For
example, if one or more of the industry analysts or ratings agencies who cover us downgrades us or our ADSs, or publishes
unfavorable research about us, the price of our ADSs may decline. If one or more of these analysts or agencies cease to cover our
company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause the price of our
ADSs or trading volume to decline. In addition, the performance and fluctuation of the market prices of other China-based, US-listed
companies, including those of education companies, and those of companies planning to delist from U.S. stock exchanges and then
publicly list on China’s stock market, may affect the volatility in the price of and trading volumes for our ADSs. In the past, a number
of PRC companies have listed their securities, or are in the process of preparing for listing their securities, on U.S. stock markets.
Some of these companies have experienced significant volatility, including significant price declines following their initial public
offerings. The trading performances of these PRC companies’ securities at the time of or after their offerings may affect the overall
investor sentiment towards PRC companies listed in the United States and consequently may impact the trading performance of our
ADSs. These broad market and industry factors may significantly affect the market price and volatility of our ADSs, regardless of our
actual operating performance.
In addition to market and industry factors, the price and trading volume for our ADSs may be highly volatile for specific
business reasons. Factors such as variations in our revenues due to different reasons, earnings and cash flow, announcements of new
investments, cooperation arrangements, acquisitions, cessation of business lines or legal dispute, declaration of dividends,
fluctuations in market prices for our services, proposed listing of individual business lines on the New Third Board could cause the
market price for our ADSs to change substantially. Any of these factors may result in large and sudden changes in the volume and
price at which our ADSs will trade. We cannot give any assurance that these factors will not occur in the future again. In the past,
following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, shareholders have often instituted securities class action
litigation against that company. If we were involved in a class action lawsuit, it could divert the attention of senior management, and,
if adversely determined, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The sale or availability for sale of substantial amounts of our ADSs could adversely affect their market price.
Sales of substantial amounts of our ADSs in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely
affect the market price of our ADSs and could materially impair our future ability to raise capital through offerings of our ADSs. As
of September 30, 2015, there were 142,406,933 ordinary shares outstanding. All of our ADSs are freely tradable without restriction or
further registration under the Securities Act unless held by our “affiliates” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities
Act. Subject to the applicable restrictions and limitations under Rule 144 of the Securities Act, all of our shares outstanding are
eligible for sale in the public market. In addition, as of September 30, 2015, there were 2,688,900 outstanding options to purchase
ordinary shares, out of which 400,900 outstanding options have vested under their current terms. If these additional shares are sold, or
if it is perceived that they will be sold in the public market, the trading price of our ADS could decline.
Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents may discourage our acquisition by a third party, which could limit your
opportunity to sell your shares at a premium.
Our second amended and restated memorandum of association and articles of association include provisions that could limit the
ability of others to acquire control of us, modify our structure or cause us to engage in change of control transactions, including,
among other things, the following:
•
•
•
provisions that restrict the ability of our shareholders to call meetings and to propose special matters for consideration at
shareholder meetings;
provisions that authorize our board of directors, without action by our shareholders, to issue preferred shares and to issue
additional ordinary shares, including ordinary shares represented by ADSs; and
provisions that provide for a staggered board, whereby our board will be divided into three classes of directors, with
directors in each class serving staggered three-year terms. With a staggered board, at least two annual shareholders’
meetings, instead of one, would generally be required to effect a change in a majority of the board. A staggered board
tends to discourage proxy contests for the election of directors and purchases of a substantial block of shares because a
staggered board operates to prevent a third party from obtaining control of our board in a relatively short period of time.
See “Item 6.C. Directors, Senior Management and Employees — Board Practices.”
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These provisions could have the effect of depriving you of an opportunity to sell your ADSs at a premium over prevailing
market prices by discouraging third parties from seeking to acquire control of us in a tender offer or similar transactions.
The voting rights of holders of ADSs must be exercised in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement, and the procedures
established by the depositary. The process of voting through the depositary may involve delays that limit the time available to you
to consider proposed shareholders’ actions and also may restrict your ability to subsequently revise your voting instructions.
A holder of ADSs may exercise its voting rights with respect to the underlying ordinary shares only in accordance with the
provisions of the deposit agreement. When the depositary receives from us notice of any shareholders meeting, it will distribute the
information in the meeting notice and any proxy solicitation materials to you. The depositary will determine the record date for
distributing these materials, and only ADS holders registered with the depositary on that record date will, subject to applicable laws,
be entitled to instruct the depositary to vote the underlying ordinary shares. The depositary will also determine and inform you of the
manner for you to give your voting instructions, including instructions to give discretionary proxies to a person designated by us.
Upon receipt of voting instructions of a holder of ADSs, the depositary will endeavor to vote the underlying ordinary shares in
accordance with these instructions. You may not receive sufficient notice of a shareholders’ meeting for you to withdraw your
ordinary shares and cast your vote with respect to any proposed resolution, as a holder of our ordinary shares. In addition, the
depositary and its agents may not be able to send materials relating to the meeting and voting instruction forms to you, or to carry out
your voting instructions, in a timely manner. We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that
you can instruct the depositary to vote your shares. The additional time required for the depositary to receive from us and distribute to
you meeting notices and materials, and for you to give voting instructions to the depositary with respect to the underlying ordinary
shares, will result in your having less time to consider meeting notices and materials than holders of ordinary shares who receive such
notices and materials directly from us and who vote their ordinary shares directly. If you have given your voting instructions to the
depositary and subsequently decide to change those instructions, you may not be able to do so in time for the depositary to vote in
accordance with your revised instructions. The depositary and its agents will not be responsible for any failure to carry out any
instructions to vote, for the manner in which any vote is cast or for the effect of any such vote. In the event that voting on any
resolution or matter is conducted on a show of hands basis in accordance with our second amended and restated memorandum of
association and articles of association, the depositary will refrain from voting and the voting instructions (or the deemed voting
instructions, as set out in the deposit agreement) received by the depositary from you will lapse. The depositary will have no
obligation to demand voting on a poll basis with respect to any resolution and will have no liability to any holder of ADS for not
having demanded voting on a poll basis. In addition, the depositary will, if so requested in writing by us, represent all the ordinary
shares (whether or not voting instructions have been received in respect of such ordinary shares from you as of the record date) for
the purpose of establishing quorum at a meeting of shareholders.
Except in limited circumstances, the depositary for our ADSs will give us a discretionary proxy to vote our ordinary shares
underlying your ADSs if you do not vote at shareholders’ meetings, which could adversely affect your interests.
Under the deposit agreement for the ADSs, the depositary will give us a discretionary proxy to vote our ordinary shares
underlying your ADSs at shareholders’ meetings if you do not vote, do not timely vote, or voting instructions received fail to specify
the manner in which the depositary is to vote ordinary shares underlying your ADSs unless we notify the depositary that:
•
•
•
we do not wish to receive a discretionary proxy;
we think there is substantial shareholder opposition to the particular question; or
we think the subject of the particular question would have a material adverse impact on our shareholders.
The effect of this discretionary proxy is that, absent the situations described above, you cannot prevent our ordinary shares
underlying your ADSs from being voted and it may make it more difficult for shareholders to influence the management of our
company. Holders of our ordinary shares are not subject to this discretionary proxy.
We may be classified as a passive foreign investment company, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax
consequences to U.S. holders of our ADSs or ordinary shares.
Depending upon the value of our ADSs or ordinary shares and the nature and composition of our assets and income over time,
we could be classified as a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year.
We will be classified as a PFIC in any taxable year if either (a) the average quarterly value of our gross assets that produce passive
income or are held for the production of passive income is at least 50% of the average quarterly value of our total gross assets (the
“asset test”) or (b) 75% or more of our gross income for the taxable year is passive income.
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Based on assumptions as to our projections of the value of our outstanding ADSs and ordinary shares, we believe we were not a
PFIC for the taxable year ended September 30, 2015. However, there can be no assurance that we will not be a PFIC in any future
taxable year as PFIC status is tested each taxable year and will depend on the composition of our assets and income in such taxable
year. In particular, in determining the average percentage value of our gross assets, the aggregate value of our assets will generally be
deemed to be equal to our market capitalization (the sum of the aggregate value of our outstanding equity) plus our liabilities.
Therefore, a drop in the market price of our ADSs and ordinary shares and associated decrease in the value of our goodwill would
cause a reduction in the value of our non-passive assets for purposes of the asset test. Accordingly, we would likely become a PFIC if
our market capitalization were to decrease significantly while we hold substantial cash and cash equivalents. We currently hold, and
expect to continue to hold, a substantial amount of cash and other passive assets, which could affect our PFIC status in future years.
If we are classified as a PFIC in any taxable year in which you hold our ADSs or ordinary shares, and you are a U.S. taxpayer,
you would generally be subject to additional taxes and interest charges on certain “excess” distributions we make and on any gain
recognized on the disposition or deemed disposition of your ADS or ordinary shares in a later year, even if we are not a PFIC in the
year of disposition or distribution. Moreover, if we are classified as a PFIC in any taxable year in which you hold our ordinary shares,
certain non-corporate U.S. shareholders would not be able to benefit from any preferential tax rate with respect to any dividend
distribution received from us in that year or in the following year. Finally, you would also be subject to special U.S. tax reporting
requirements. For more information on the U.S. tax consequences to you that would result from our classification as a PFIC, please
see “Item 10.E. Additional Information — Taxation — United States Federal Income Taxation — Passive Foreign Investment
Company.”
Your right to participate in any future rights offerings may be limited, which may cause dilution to your holdings.
We may from time to time distribute rights to our shareholders, including rights to acquire our securities. However, we cannot
make rights available to you in the United States unless we register the rights and the securities to which the rights relate under the
Securities Act or an exemption from the registration requirements is available. We are under no obligation to file a registration
statement with respect to any such rights or securities or to endeavor to cause such a registration statement to be declared effective.
Moreover, we may not be able to establish an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, you may be unable
to participate in our rights offerings and may experience dilution in your holdings.
You may not receive distributions on our ordinary shares or any value for them if such distribution is illegal or if any required
government approval cannot be obtained in order to make such distribution available to you.
The depositary of our ADSs has agreed to pay holders of our ADSs the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian
for our ADSs receives on our ordinary shares or other deposited securities after deducting its fees and expenses. Holder of our ADSs
will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of our ordinary shares such holder’s ADSs represent. However, the
depositary is not responsible to make a distribution available to any holders of ADSs if it decides that it is unlawful to make such
distribution. For example, it would be unlawful to make a distribution to a holder of ADSs if it consisted of securities that required
registration under the Securities Act but that were not properly registered or distributed pursuant to an applicable exemption from
registration. The depositary is not responsible for making a distribution available to any holders of ADSs if any government approval
or registration required for such distribution cannot be obtained after reasonable efforts made by the depositary. We have no
obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of our ADSs, ordinary shares, rights or anything else to holders of our
ADSs. This means that holders of our ADSs may not receive the distributions we make on our ordinary shares or any value for them
if it is unlawful or unreasonable from a regulatory perspective for us to make them available to such holders. These restrictions may
have a material adverse effect on the value of our ADSs.
Holders of our ADSs may be subject to limitations on transfer of ADSs.
ADSs are transferable on the books of the depositary. However, the depositary may close its books at any time or from time to
time when it deems expedient in connection with the performance of its duties. The depositary may close its books from time to time
for a number of reasons, including in connection with corporate events such as a rights offering, during which time the depositary
needs to maintain an exact number of ADS holders on its books for a specified period. The depositary may also close its books in
emergencies, and on weekends and public holidays. The depositary may refuse to deliver, transfer or register transfers of our ADSs
generally when the books of the depositary are closed, or at any time if we or the depositary thinks it is necessary or advisable to do
so because of any requirement of law or any government or government body, or under any provision of the deposit agreement, or for
any other reason.
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We are a Cayman Islands company and, because judicial precedent regarding the rights of shareholders is more limited under
Cayman Islands law than under U.S. federal or state laws, holders of ADSs may have less protection of shareholder rights than
they would under U.S. federal or state laws.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our second amended and restated memorandum of association and articles of association,
the Cayman Islands Companies Law (as amended) and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take
action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman
Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is
derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, which has
persuasive, but not binding, authority on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary
responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial
precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities law
than the United States. In addition, some jurisdictions, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies
of corporate law than the Cayman Islands. As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting
their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they
would as public shareholders of a U.S. company, and Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder
derivative action before the federal courts of the United States.
Certain judgments obtained against us by our shareholders may not be enforceable.
We are a Cayman Islands company and substantially all of our assets are located outside of the United States. Nearly all of our
current operations are conducted in China. In addition, most of our directors and officers are nationals and residents of countries other
than the United States. A substantial portion of the assets of these persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be
difficult to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons. It may also be difficult to enforce in U.S. court
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, most of whom are residents of countries other than the United States and the substantial majority of whose assets are
located outside of the United States. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands or China 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. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether such Cayman Islands or PRC courts would be
competent to hear original actions brought in the Cayman Islands or China against us or such persons predicated upon the securities
laws of the United States or any state.
ITEM 4. INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY
A. History and Development of the Company
We commenced our business in China in July 2000. We incorporated China Distance Education Holdings Limited, or CDEL
Cayman, in the Cayman Islands in January 2008. CDEL Cayman became our ultimate holding company in March 2008 after a series
of restructurings in connection with our initial public offering in August 2008.
Our ADSs are listed on the NYSE, under the symbol “DL.” On March 11, 2014, we completed a follow-on public offering of
ADSs by us and certain selling shareholders. Through the follow-on public offering we issued and sold 1,500,000 ADSs and the
selling shareholders sold an aggregate of 2,500,000 ADSs at the price of $21.00 per ADS. The net proceeds received by us, after
deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and listing expenses payable by us, amounted to approximately $29.1 million. We
did not receive any proceeds from the sale of the ADSs by the selling shareholders.
In May 2015, we incorporated China Healthcare Investment Limited, or China Healthcare Investment, in the British Virgin
Islands. In July 2015, we incorporated China Healthcare Education Limited, or China Healthcare Education, in Hong Kong.
In June 2015, we incorporated Beijing Champion Culture Development Co., Ltd., or Champion Culture, in the PRC.
In July 2015, we incorporated Beijing Champion Accounting Education Technology Co., Ltd., or Champion Accounting, in the
PRC.
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In July 2015, we incorporated Nanjing Champion Vocational Training School, or Nanjing Champion Training School, in the
PRC.
In November 2015, we incorporated Beijing Champion Tax Management and Advisory Co., Ltd., or Champion Tax Advisory,
in the PRC.
In December 2015, we incorporated Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., or Zhongxi
Healthcare Education, in the PRC.
In connection with the proposed listing of Zhengbao Yucai on the New Third Board, we acquired 99.73% equity interest of
Zhengbao Yucai through Champion Technology from Beijing Champion in October 2015. In October, 2015, the registered capital of
Zhengbao Yucai was split into 37,000,000 shares of RMB1.00 ($0.16) each. In January 2016, Zhengbao Yucai issued 24,600,000
shares at RMB1.29 ($0.20) per share to selected directors, officers and employees. The net proceeds received by Zhengbao Yucai
amounted to RMB31.7 million ($5.0 million). As a result, our equity interest in Zhengbao Yucai reduced to 60.10%.
For additional information on our organizational structure, see “Item 4.C. Information on the Company — Organizational
Structure.”
We incurred capital expenditures of $2.8 million, $2.7 million and $4.9 million in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013,
2014 and 2015, respectively. The amount of capital expenditures in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 related primarily to our
expenditures on property, plant and equipment, and software. These capital expenditures were funded from our operating cash flow.
For additional information on our capital expenditures, see Item “5.B. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects – Liquidity and
Capital Resources – Capital Expenditures.”
Our principal executive offices are located at 18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District,
Beijing 100083, the People’s Republic of China. Our telephone number at this address is +86-10-8231-9999 and our fax number is
+86-10-8233-7887. Our main website is www.cdeledu.com . The information contained on this website and our other websites is not
part of this annual report. Our agent for service of process in the United States is CT Corporation System, located at 111 Eighth
Avenue, New York, New York 10011.
B. Business overview
Overview
Our mission is to be a life-long, comprehensive online education partner for professionals and other learners in China. In
particular, we focus on helping professionals seeking to obtain and maintain professional licenses and to enhance their job skills
through our professional development courses. We believe that we are the largest provider of online education in China primarily
focusing on professional education, as measured by total number of course enrollments in 2015. As of September 30, 2015, our
content library encompassed 234 course offerings, approximately 5,900 classes, and close to 24,000 hours of audio-video content
across 13 subject areas.
Our online courses typically feature pre-recorded, high-definition audio-video lectures taught by experts within their respective
fields. Lectures can be viewed either through streaming via the Internet or can be downloaded to various devices, including
computers, tablets and smart phones. To enhance the learning experience, our online lectures are supplemented by our proprietary
Learning Management System which tracks students’ individual study progress, enables students to record course notes, and enables
students to collect incorrectly answered questions for future review and provides other content, such as course outlines, exercise
questions, mock exams, and Frequently Asked Questions and Answers. In addition, we provide comprehensive course-related support
services that include online tutoring and 24/7 customer service via our call center.
Our websites also generate significant user traffic. As of September 30, 2015, we had 35.5 million cumulative registered users,
and we believe our websites were among the most visited websites in China’s education industry, as measured by 1.49 million total
average daily unique visitors and 33.5 million average daily page views for our fiscal year ended September 30, 2015. As of
September 30, 2015, we offered 58 downloadable and proprietary mobile applications and have had over 11.6 million downloads as
of that date. We have a track record of successfully converting our user traffic into course enrollments and will continue to pursue
opportunities to further monetize our user traffic and content library.
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We focus our online professional education services in three main industries: accounting, healthcare and engineering &
construction. In addition, we also offer other professional education courses, such as the national judicial examination, online test-
preparation courses for self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees, test preparation courses for university
students intending to take the nationwide graduate school entrance exam, and online language courses. We also offer third-party
developed online courses through our Online Open Learning Platform, a proprietary education platform that allows people to share
their educational content or deliver live courses online. In May 2015, we launched our College Cooperation Program which enables
us to expand our industry-leading accounting educational content and services to college and university students, in partnership with
colleges and universities.
As of September 30, 2015, we operated 18 websites, including our main website www.cdeledu.com and 17 other websites, each
dedicated to a specific industry, profession or discipline. Our online education courses accounted for 82.1%, 82.9% and 82.0% of our
net revenues in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. In addition to traditional online courses, we
also offer certain fee-based, mobile accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction and legal courses through an app available on
Android and Apple iOS tablets and smart phones. Furthermore, we also sell books and reference materials, offer offline business
start-up training courses and offline accounting and healthcare professional training courses, and provide courseware production
services and platform production services for certain customers.
Our net revenues were $71.4 million, $97.2 million and $108.2 million in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and
2015, respectively. We had net income of $13.6 million, $23.4 million and $24.6 million in the fiscal years ended September 30,
2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Our total course enrollments were 2,700,000, 3,238,000 and 3,332,000 for the fiscal years ended
September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
Our Online Education Services
We focus our online professional education services in three main industries: accounting, healthcare and engineering &
construction. In addition, we offer other professional education courses, such as the national judicial examination, online test-
preparation courses for self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees, test preparation courses for university
students intending to take the nationwide graduate school entrance exam, and online language courses. The following table lists our
key online course offerings as of September 30, 2015.
Discipline
Accounting
Healthcare
Engineering & Construction
Others
Total
Website
www.chinaacc.com
www.ck100.com
www.med66.com
www.jianshe99.com
Contribution to
Revenue (%)
44.6%
23.5%
7.7%
6.2%
82.0%
Number of
Course
Offerings
29
Number of
Classes
2,533
35
41
129
234
1,059
922
1,357
5,871
We offer different types of classes for various subjects within each course and multiple courses for each discipline. Each course
typically represents one examination, professional development or continuing education requirement. To access our classes, course
participants must first log into their online registered accounts and enroll in our courses. They are typically able to choose among
several different lecturers within each class. After selecting a lecturer, course participants can view the video along with the lecture
script and click on hyperlinks for other useful functions during the lecture. For example, course participants can receive tutoring
support by posting a question on the question and answer board; pause the video to take notes, practice mock exam questions, or
evaluate lecturers’ performance; and access the bulletin board or other helpful information. These functions are part of our proprietary
Learning Management System, which monitors our course participants’ individual progress, records course notes, and collects
incorrectly answered questions for future review; and provides other content, such as course outlines, mock exams, and Frequently
Asked Questions and Answers. For more details on our course-related support and services, see “— Our Services to Students and
Teachers — Course-Related Support and Services.”
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In addition to traditional online courses, we also offer certain fee-based, mobile accounting, healthcare, engineering &
construction and legal courses through an app on Android and Apple iOS tablets and smart phones. Our mobile courses employ a
course format more suitable for smaller screens and shorter studying times. For example, our mobile accounting courses are
organized by key knowledge points, each illustrated using a 10-minute lecture segment, and total video lengths are much shorter than
our traditional online courses. In addition, our proprietary mobile learning system employs an intelligent exercise question databank.
For certain classes, if a student answers any question incorrectly, our intelligent exercise question databank will automatically push
similar questions to the course participant until he or she masters the relevant knowledge point.
Accounting Courses
PRC laws and regulations require persons engaging in accounting and related activities to obtain various qualifications and
licenses and to meet continuing education requirements. Qualifications and licenses are primarily obtained by passing exams
administered by various agencies, and continuing education requirements can be fulfilled by taking courses covering certain subjects.
We offer a comprehensive suite of online test preparation and continuing education courses for accounting professionals in China.
•
Accounting Professional Qualification Examination. Persons who perform PRC accounting work in any organization in
China are required to hold a certificate of accounting professional and to register with the relevant regional bureaus of the
Ministry of Finance, or the MOF. This is the basic qualification requirement for accounting professionals in China.
•
Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Level Accounting Professional Qualification Examinations. The skill level and
technical competence of accounting professionals in China are further measured by achieving certification at various levels
within the profession. These levels are determined by the ability of accounting professionals to pass elementary,
intermediate and advanced level accounting professional qualification examinations. Candidates who pass the exam are
issued an accounting qualification certificate for their respective level from the MOF and the Ministry of Human
Resources and Social Security, or the MOHRSS, jointly.
•
CPA Qualification Examination. Persons who act as certified public accountants in China are required to pass China’s
CPA Qualification Examination. This exam is open to all candidates who hold at least an associate diploma or an
intermediate level of accounting-related professional qualification certificate.
•
Continuing Education for Accounting Personnel. PRC regulations require persons holding Certificates of Accounting
Professional and Certificates of Accounting Specialty and Technical Qualifications to undergo at least 24 hours of
continuing education training each year. Failure to comply with these continuing education requirements can result in the
suspension or cancellation of such certificate holders’ certifications.
•
Tax Agent Qualification Examination. Prior to August 2014, only registered tax agents were able to carry out tax agency
services, issue tax audit reports and handle tax procedures such as applications for tax registration with relevant authorities
on behalf of business entities. Persons wishing to qualify as registered tax agents were required to pass the RTA
Qualification Exam. In August 2014, the PRC State Council cancelled the RTA Qualification Exam. In November 2015,
the RTA Qualification Exam was officially changed to the Tax Agent Qualification Exam by the Chinese Certified Tax
Agents Association.
Healthcare Courses
We provide preparatory courses for a wide variety of healthcare professional exams. Currently, we offer courses mainly relating
to four major nationwide healthcare exams:
•
•
National Practicing Medical Doctor Qualification Examination. This exam is administered by the National Health and
Family Planning Commission, or the NHFPC, and is the basic qualification requirement for doctors in China.
Healthcare Professional Technical Qualification Examination. This exam is jointly administered by the NHFPC and the
MOHRSS. A person is eligible to apply for the Healthcare Professional Technical Qualification and is able to work as a
medical technician in China if he or she passes this qualification examination.
•
National Pharmacist Qualification Examination. This exam is jointly administered by the MOHRSS and the China Food
and Drug Administration. Licensed pharmacists in China are required to pass the National Pharmacist Qualification
Examination, obtain the Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Certificate and register with the relevant authorities.
•
National Nursing Qualification Examination. This exam is administered by the NHFPC, and is the basic qualification
requirement for nurses in China.
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Engineering & Construction Courses
We offer test preparation courses for engineering & construction professionals in China. Currently, we offer courses mainly
relating to the following exams: Associate Constructor and Constructor Qualification Examinations, Construction Pricing Engineer
Qualification Examination, Construction Supervisor Qualification Examination and Real Estate Appraiser Qualification Examination
jointly administered by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and MOHRSS; Certified Safety Engineer
Qualification Examination jointly administered by the State Administration of Work Safety and MOHRSS; and Consulting Engineer
Qualification Examination jointly administered by the National Development and Reform Commission and MOHRSS.
We also offer online continuing education courses to various engineering & construction professionals to help them meet
government requirements and maintain their qualifications.
Other Courses
We provide other professional education courses for the national judicial examination, English proficiency test for professionals,
computer application skills, and other occupational certifications or skills. Each of these offerings follows a similar course production
and online delivery model. We plan to continue to leverage our core online course production and delivery expertise to produce and
deliver new courses for additional professions and industries.
We also provide test preparation courses for self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees in various
disciplines via our www.zikao365.com website. They can obtain government accredited diplomas or degrees by completing their self-
study and passing the Higher Education Examination for Self-Taught Learners administered by the Ministry of Education (“MOE”).
We have also obtained exclusive rights to offer study process monitoring programs that allow self-taught learners to earn up to 30%
of the credits they need to obtain post-secondary self-taught education degree in certain provinces and cities in China.
We offer test preparation courses on our www.cnedu.cn website for university students intending to take the nationwide graduate
school entrance exam administered by the MOE.
We also operate websites focused on the secondary education market and language courses. These courses are designed to
provide an online resource for secondary school course participants to improve their chances of attending a better university.
Open Learning Platform
We also operate an Open Learning Platform, our proprietary education platform that allows people to share their educational
content primarily in professional development areas. While educational content such as lecture videos or PowerPoint illustrations can
be freely uploaded and downloaded, the core of our Open Learning Platform focuses on audio-video lecture courses and practical job
skills training. After passing our rigorous quality control standards, experts and scholars of various fields can either record their own
lectures and post them on our Open Learning Platform website, www.chinatet.com, or deliver real-time audio-video courses supported
by real-time online notes and illustrations. We offer coaching services to these lecturers and employ a user evaluation system to
ensure that these courses meet our quality and effectiveness standards. We employ primarily a revenue-sharing scheme with Open
Learning Platform contributors. Since the introduction of our Open Learning Platform in October 2012, we have amassed over 6,500
online courses as of September 30, 2015, which span various professional development areas, including accounting, healthcare, and
engineering & construction. These courses include both live and pre-recorded courses, third-party developed courses as well as our
own proprietary courses.
College Cooperation Program
We launched our College Cooperation Program in May 2015. This program is aimed at expanding our industry-leading
accounting educational content and services to college and university students, in partnership with colleges and universities. This
program comprises the following four components:
•
Online-Offline Blended Learning: we work hand-in-hand with our college and university partners to deliver a blended
online-offline learning program where students can prepare for accounting related certifications and qualifications in
school.
•
Practical Training: we provide students practical accounting training courses to prepare them for real-world accounting
work.
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•
•
Internship: we assist students in obtaining virtual internships in accounting where interns can handle real accounting tasks
from our enterprise customers using our accounting cloud services.
Employment Advisory & Recruitment: we offer students employment guidance services to help them prepare for job
opportunities. Using our big data analysis, we can match the employment goals of students with the recruitment needs of
employers.
Course Formats
We offer regular, premium and elite classes mainly comprised of the following five types:
•
•
•
•
•
Foundation Classes: Our foundation classes contain detailed materials and instructions to provide course participants with
broad and comprehensive knowledge of specific subject matter.
Intensified Focus Classes: Our intensified focus classes are designed to provide more intensive instruction, at a more
advanced pace, on the key topics of specific subject matter to course participants who already have a basic knowledge of
the subject matter.
Exam Questions Analysis Classes: Our exam questions analysis classes contain materials and instruction tailored for exam
preparation.
Crash-Course Classes: Our crash-course classes are designed to provide a quick overview of the key topics on specific
subject matter in the final weeks prior to an exam.
Exam Simulation System: Our exam simulation system, which covers certain of our courses, offers a wealth of mock test
questions based on actual exams, closely conforms to the syllabus and test requirements of such courses, and covers
various key examination points. The system sets a time limit for handing in test “papers”, automatically reviews and grades
these “papers”, and pools wrong answers for repeated exercises, thereby honing the examinees’ test-taking skills.
We offer elite classes for some of our most popular test-preparation courses, such as courses for the Accounting Professional
Qualification Examinations, the CPA Qualification Examination and other professional exams in the healthcare, engineering &
construction and other industries. With our elite classes, course participants pay substantially higher course fees for enhanced support
services and substantially more interactive course participation. For example, after a key point is presented during a lecture, the
lecture automatically pauses and a quiz relating to the point will pop up on the screen. If the course participant answers incorrectly, he
or she can press replay to listen to the lecture again or proceed to the next question. This pop-up quiz feature ensures that course
participants do not miss any of the important knowledge points that may be tested on exams. Moreover, our most experienced tutors
work closely with elite class participants, and questions are responded to on a priority and expedited basis. In addition, a regular study
monitoring report is generated by our support staff for each elite class participant to ensure that he or she is progressing satisfactorily
in the course. After completing an elite class, if a participant fails to pass the relevant exam and certain pre-agreed conditions are met,
the course participant may elect to receive a cash refund of the course fees paid or full credit towards future courses provided by us.
We also offer premium classes that cover the same courses as elite classes and provide similar levels of support services.
Premium class participants, however, do not enjoy refund privileges. Instead, in general, if a participant fails to pass the course
examination and certain pre-agreed conditions are met, the course participant can retake the same premium course by paying
discounted course fees for the following year or years.
We also provide course participants with a seven-day trial period for most of our classes.
Course Fees and Payment Methods
We charge course fees on a per-class basis. Course participants may choose to take different classes offered under each subject
according to their individual needs. Special package pricing is offered if a participant chooses to take more than one subject under a
course. To promote the use of our online courses, we also offer course discounts to eligible course participants who are frequent users
of our services. The discounts offered typically range from 10% to 30% off the stated course fees.
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Payment for the course fees can be made through any one of the following methods:
•
•
•
•
online and mobile payment on computers, tablets or smart phones using credit or debit cards via third-party payment
networks;
purchase of prepaid study cards;
remittance through a bank or post office; or
cash payment made at our offices.
Online and mobile payment using credit or debit cards via third-party payment networks is the most frequently used payment
method. Pre-paid study cards is the second most popular payment option and are sold through regional sales agents at points of sale
throughout China. The pre-paid study cards come with face values ranging from RMB10 ($1.60) to RMB500 ($78.70) and can be
used to register for a single course or multiple courses. These pre-paid study cards typically have a two-to-three-year expiration
period. Once course participants activate the pre-paid study cards, the face values of the cards are added to their registered accounts
and are no longer subject to expiration.
Other Products and Services
Books and Reference Materials
We primarily sell proprietary books and reference materials related to our courses such as the various levels of Accounting
Professional Qualification Examinations, the CPA Qualification Examination, accounting continuing education, the National
Practicing Medical Doctor Qualification Examination, and Associate Constructor and Constructor Qualification Examinations. To
promote our online courses, we sometimes sell books and reference materials together with study cards, which allow course
participants to take a certain number of online courses for no additional charge. Our proprietary books and reference materials are
authored by lecturers teaching the relevant online courses. Pursuant to agreements with the lecturers, we own the copyright to these
books and reference materials in almost all cases. We engage third-party publishers to publish our books and reference materials and
distribute them through third-party bookstores and distributors across China, as well as through our online bookstore and our offices
in Beijing.
Business Start-up Training Courses
We offer business start-up training to university students, job seekers and individuals who are interested in learning how to
establish new businesses. Such practical training is encouraged by the PRC government to promote employment opportunities in the
country. For these courses, we prepare training materials in accordance with local government requirements in various provinces and
cities. We do not charge business start-up training course participants fees. Instead, we receive subsidies from the relevant
government authorities, which are conditioned on our ability to meet government stipulated conditions under the subsidy policies.
When determining our qualification for the subsidy, the government authorities consider the passage rate of our course participants’
business proposals as evaluated by such authorities, as well as the business start-up rate and employment rate of our course
participants.
Others
We provide offline accounting and healthcare professional training to accounting firms and the general public. We also provide
courseware production services and online platform development services to certain customers on a contractual basis.
We are pursuing opportunities to monetize our extensive content library and have begun to leverage our vast databank to
integrate online and offline courses. For example, our “tax school” program offers tax classes for tax and accounting professionals
and provides them with subscription-based access to our vast databank of tax, finance, and legal course materials and information.
From time to time, we also enter into strategic alliances with other third-party education companies to enhance our product and
service offerings. For example, we are the exclusive distributor of certain products developed by Becker Professional Education, or
Becker, a subsidiary of DeVry Inc. and a global leader in professional education, such as Becker’s CPA Review, CPA Final Review
and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (“ACCA”) Examination Review, for both online and offline courses in China.
We have not yet generated material revenue from these strategic alliances.
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Our Educational Content and Delivery
Course Creation
We have an extensive content library with 234 course offerings, approximately 5,900 classes, and close to 24,000 hours of
audio-video content as of September 30, 2015. We place great emphasis on the quality of our courses and learning materials, both in
terms of content and production quality to enhance course participants’ learning experience. Prior to developing a new course, we
gather market intelligence to ensure that we are developing relevant and up-to-date courses. Once we gather enough market
intelligence, we typically develop and produce most of our courses in-house by working with our lecturers who possess extensive
industry and academic backgrounds. To develop high-quality courses, we employ a variety of measures including substantive content
review and content approval by our experienced personnel at each stage of the course development process. We regularly update our
existing courses, typically every year, to stay abreast of the latest examination trends and professional requirements. Although our
lecturers participate in the development of the course materials, in almost all cases, we own all copyrights to our courses and course
materials pursuant to contracts with our online lecturers.
We believe superior delivery of our courses and learning materials is important to attracting and retaining course participants.
We record, digitize and edit most of the high-definition audio-video lectures used in our online courses on our own premises. We
maintain 29 fully-equipped recording rooms to ensure the high-quality of the high-definition audio-video content and any graphics
used in the lectures. Our editing department uses advanced high-definition audio-video editing software and equipment to eliminate
breaks, pauses and unwanted noise from each lecture recording to further enhance the viewing and listening experience. All lectures
are properly formatted and compressed to facilitate smooth transmission via streaming media and other Internet-based technologies.
Our customer service team regularly seeks feedback on the quality of our courses from our course participants.
Our Lecturers
The vast majority of our lecturers are academics from renowned higher education institutions in China and experienced
practitioners within their respective fields. They work with us to prepare the course content and lectures, while also serving as faculty
members of various colleges and universities across China or working in their respective fields. Almost half of them are obligated to
conduct online lectures exclusively for us. They are not our employees, however, and typically work for us on a part-time basis. A
small portion of our lecturers are our tutors who remain full-time employees after becoming our lecturers. We have received positive
feedback on these in-house lecturers from course participants and plan to continue to increase their numbers across all our course
offerings in the future. The number of online lecturers actively producing online courses for us was 385, 341 and 365 in the fiscal
years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
To ensure the quality of our lecturers, we have established a stringent selection and retention criteria and implemented ongoing
evaluation procedures. We seek to engage lecturers who have a strong command of their respective disciplines and good
communication skills. In particular, we seek lecturers capable of, and preferably experienced in, delivering effective instruction
through the audio-video format. Our internal quality control personnel regularly monitor the teaching quality of each lecturer. We
also collect feedback on the online lecturers from our course participants on a regular basis through multiple channels, including our
online teacher evaluation system, customer service calls, our online course comment book, and our online question and answer board.
Based on this feedback, we provide ongoing training for lecturers and help them improve their online presentation skills.
Our lecturers are attracted to our online platform where their lectures can be viewed by tens of thousands of course participants
across China, which can help to further expand and enhance their national reputation in their respective fields. We pay our lecturers
fees in one of two ways: the first and most common way is to pay them based on the number of hours of lectures they deliver, and the
second way is to enter into a course fee sharing arrangement with them, which is used primarily for some of our newer courses.
41
Our Services to Students
Course-Related Support and Services
We employ a service-oriented approach and devote significant resources to developing course-related support and services for
our course participants. We provide tutorial sessions, which allow course participants to interact with their lecturers and other course
participants using their personal computers. To enhance the learning experience, we also maintain a well-trained pool of tutors
knowledgeable about specific courses and exams to answer questions from course participants and to host tutorial sessions. For
questions submitted by course participants, our tutors are able to provide timely and accurate responses, usually within 24 hours after
a question is submitted, through our online question and answer board. To ensure the accuracy of our responses, a senior tutor
reviews all of the responses for our most popular courses before they are delivered to our course participants. We had 356 tutors as of
September 30, 2015, of which 80 are part-time employees. To ensure that our tutors are suitably qualified to support our courses, we
have established a stringent selection criteria and make hiring decisions based on academic qualifications, tutorial experience and
knowledge of various exams and subject matter. We require our tutors to possess, at a minimum, a college degree in the relevant
academic area or a certification in the relevant industry, as well as familiarity with the actual exam and related subject matter. We
believe that our high-quality tutorial and learning support services are critical to enhancing the learning experience of our course
participants.
Community-oriented Services on Our Websites
In addition to using our websites to access our courses, course participants and visitors to our websites are also able to access a
wide variety of information and to exchange ideas on topics relating to the various professions and disciplines for which we offer
services. We offer free, comprehensive and timely information about exam times and locations, test preparation guidance, regulations
and policies relevant to each industry, career planning and industry trends. We also offer free e-mail accounts to course participants
and provide an electronic bulletin board service, which can be accessed on computers or tablets and smart phones through our mobile
apps. Through these community-oriented features, we create virtual communities for course participants and visitors which, we
believe, foster brand awareness and customer loyalty. In addition, these virtual communities provide us with a valuable means of
tracking feedback about our courses, lecturers and services, allowing us to make adjustments and to react quickly to concerns and
complaints from our course participants.
General Customer Service
Our customer service representatives counsel potential and existing course participants on our courses and services, assist in
course enrollment, process fee payments, conduct regular telephone customer surveys and provide other support services. They are
available online and by email or phone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our dedicated customer service team was composed of
293 individuals as of September 30, 2015. We recruit our customer service personnel from candidates who have good communication
skills and high customer service ethics and provide on-the-job training for our new recruits. We conduct ongoing evaluations of our
customer service staff and provide periodic training to improve their skill set.
Online Platform and Technology Infrastructure
Maintaining a reliable, scalable and secure technology infrastructure is crucial to our ability to support the online courses and
services we provide to our course participants. We manage our online course production and delivery system using a combination of
commercially available software, hardware and proprietary technology. Over the years, we have established a comprehensive and
powerful online platform that enables tens of thousands of course participants to simultaneously attend our courses and participate in
other programs and activities online. Additionally, our proprietary Learning Management System monitors all course participants’
individual progress, records course notes, collects incorrectly answered questions for future review and provides other content, such
as course outlines, mock exams, and Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.
42
We have also extended our online courses from regular Internet-enabled desktop or laptop computers to Apple iOS, Android,
and Windows tablets and smart phones. Once enrolled, participants can watch videos, do exercise questions and obtain tutoring
support via all these platforms. We develop and offer mobile apps to offer more content and convenience for our course participants
as well as to promote our brand to the general public and to increase traffic to our websites. Our apps are available on Apple iOS,
Android, and Windows tablets and smart phones and fall into four main categories: classes, tools, exam databanks, and reference
reading. Our popular apps include: accounting BBS, civil service exam databank, “accounting question of the day,” healthcare mobile
classroom, and Women’s Secret. As of September 30, 2015, we had 58 different apps with over 11.6 million downloads. Our fee-
based, mobile accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction and legal courses are also available through our apps on Android
tablets and smart phones. Course participants enrolled in our fee-based mobile courses are provided with the pop-up quiz feature of
our elite and premium classes, which, for certain classes, automatically push mock exam questions to the course participant until he
or she provides the correct answer and masters the relevant knowledge point. We have also built a robust online community platform
that helps foster a strong sense of community among our course participants and build brand loyalty.
We maintain multiple servers, which are separately located in multiple Internet data centers, or IDCs, in several cities across
China, and a proprietary content delivery network system to mitigate any downtime arising from individual IDC or server failure. To
increase reliability, availability and serviceability, we have created an environment in which each server can function independently.
We regularly back up our databases. Using cluster technology, our system can identify errors and isolate failed servers automatically
so that our course participants can access our services at any time. If a malfunction arises in a server or at a point of presence, our
load balancing technology can automatically direct visitors to access the same content through another server or another point of
presence. Our network administration department regularly monitors the performance of our websites and technology infrastructure to
enable us to respond quickly to potential problems. As of September 30, 2015, we have not experienced any material disruption to our
business or websites.
We utilize streaming media technology as the primary delivery method for our online lectures because it allows the end-user to
view the file as it is being delivered. To accommodate different levels of Internet access and bandwidth available to course
participants across China, we provide our course lectures in a number of formats. Course participants may download copies of the
lectures onto their own personal computers, tablet or smart phone and access them later offline. We utilize digital rights management,
or DRM, technology to restrict the transfer and viewing of such downloadable media files.
Sales and Marketing
We rely on a combination of direct sales and referrals, regional and online sales agents, as well as other sales and marketing
activities to market our services and products.
Direct Sales and Referrals
Many of our course participants learn about our services and courses through word-of-mouth referrals. As a result, a significant
portion of our sales are made through our customer service representatives who were directly contacted by the course participant. We
believe that combining the customer service and sales function in one department contributes both to the quality of our customer
service and the effectiveness of our direct- and cross-selling efforts. Based on their knowledge of our courses and feedback from
course participants, our customer service representatives are able to recommend the most suitable courses for new course participants
and to cross-sell new or additional courses, learning tools and materials, as appropriate.
Regional and Online Sales Agents
We use regional sales agents to resell our pre-paid study cards bought from us. Generally, we provide various discounts to our
regional sales agents based on the volume purchased and the method of payment. In addition, these agents typically assist with our
promotional activities in their respective regions and provide market feedback, which helps us in planning our marketing strategy and
sales activities. As of September 30, 2015, we had approximately 1,800 active regional sales agents throughout China. When
selecting regional sales agents, we consider various criteria, such as whether the candidates have relevant experience and whether
they are familiar with or have established relationships with local professionals, professional associations and organizations related to
our target industries and professions. Our regional sales agents are comprised mostly of stores and other points of sale that sell books,
learning materials and other supplies to our target professionals. Most of our regional sales agents are appointed on an exclusive
basis.
We also use online sales agents, which typically are Internet companies and website operators in China that market our course
offerings and other services on their websites. We pay our online agents marketing and promotional fees for each new course
participant registered through their website. As of September 30, 2015, we had approximately 1,000 active online agents.
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Other Advertising and Marketing Efforts
We place advertisements mainly on high-traffic search engines and sometimes on high-traffic Chinese Internet portals and in
newspapers, magazines, and journals in many cities across China. We also promote our courses, services and products at examination
registration centers and education and career fairs, including distributing complimentary study cards together with reference books
and study materials that we sell at these places. We have also established a number of scholarships totaling over RMB0.6 million
($95,000) in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 and granted awards to course participants who have achieved outstanding
performance in various exams.
Competition
We face competition from providers of traditional offline education and test preparation services in China, and expect to face
increasing competition from existing competitors and new market entrants in the online education and test preparation market.
Although online education is increasingly perceived as an acceptable means of receiving training and instruction, traditional
classroom instruction is still generally perceived as the more accepted method. We therefore compete with traditional offline
educational institutions and training centers in the various areas for which we offer courses.
In addition, due to low barriers to entry for Internet-based businesses, we expect to face increasing competition from existing
domestic competitors and new entrants to the online education market. We may face increased competition from international
competitors that cooperate with local businesses to provide services based on the foreign partners’ technology and experience
developed in their home markets. Currently, our online competitors include general information websites that have branches
providing online training courses, traditional schools that provide online offerings and newly established online training and test
preparation businesses.
We believe the key competitive factors in our industry include the professional competence of lecturers and tutors, market
recognition and brand name, price, quality, customer service and the performance of the technology platform. Some of our present
and future competitors may have longer operating histories, larger teams of professional staff and greater financial, technical,
marketing and other resources. For a discussion of risks relating to competition, see “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors —
Risks Relating to Our Business — We may lose market share and our profitability may be materially and adversely affected, if we
fail to compete effectively with our present and future competitors or to adjust effectively to changing market conditions and trends.”
Intellectual Property
Our trademarks, copyrights, domain names, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights distinguish our products and
services from those of our competitors and contribute to our ability to compete in our target markets. We rely on a combination of
copyright and trademark law, trade secret protection and confidentiality agreements with our employees, lecturers, business partners
and others to protect our intellectual property rights. In addition, we require our employees to enter into agreements with us under
which they acknowledge that all inventions, trade secrets, works of authorship, developments and other processes made by them
during their employment are our property and that they must assign the same to us if we so require. We also maintain a dedicated
team that regularly monitors any infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property rights.
As of September 30, 2015, we have registered 85 software copyrights with the National Copyright Administration of the PRC
for our proprietary online course delivery platform, customer service system, DRM encryption system, streaming media load
balancing system, online course creation management system and certain other aspects of our online education platform. We have
also registered 552 trademarks with the China Trademark Office and an additional 3 trademark applications are currently pending.
We cannot assure you, however, that all of our trademark applications will be successful.
As of September 30, 2015, we had registered 298 domain names relating to our business with the Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names Numbers and China Internet Network Information Center, including all 18 of our operating websites. Our
intellectual property is subject to risks of theft and other unauthorized use, and our ability to protect our intellectual property from
unauthorized use is limited. In addition, we may be subject to claims that we have infringed the intellectual property rights of others.
See “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Business — Our failure to protect our intellectual property
rights may undermine our competitive position, and litigation to protect our intellectual property rights or defend against third party
allegations of infringement may be costly and ineffective.”
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Employees
We had 1,118, 1,309 and 1,379 full-time employees as of September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. In addition to the
above full-time employees, we had 91 part-time employees as of September 30, 2015.
Seasonality
We have experienced seasonality and expect to continue to experience seasonality in revenues primarily due to seasonal changes
in course enrollment and the timing of various exams. For more details, see “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks
Relating to Our Business — Our business is subject to seasonal fluctuations, which may cause our operating results to fluctuate from
quarter to quarter. This may result in volatility in and adversely affect the price of our ADSs.” Our revenue recognition policy can
compound the effect of any seasonality or change in the timing of various exams. See “Item 5.A. Operating and Financial Review and
Prospects — Operating Results — Critical Accounting Policies — Revenue recognition.”
Regulations
The provision of our online and offline education services is subject to PRC laws and regulations relating to the
telecommunications industry and the education services industry. This section sets forth a summary of the principal laws and
regulations that affect our business activities in China, the industries in which we operate, and our shareholders’ right to receive
dividends and other distributions from us.
Restrictions on Telecommunications Industry
The telecommunications industry, including the Internet sector, is highly regulated by the PRC government. Laws and
regulations issued or implemented by the State Council, MIIT, and other relevant government authorities cover virtually every aspect
of telecommunications network operations, including entry into the telecommunications industry, the scope of permissible business
activities, interconnection and transmission line arrangements, tariff policy and foreign investment. The principal regulations
governing the telecommunications industry and the Internet include:
•
•
•
The Telecommunications Regulations (2014);
The Administrative Measures for Telecommunications Business Operating Licenses (2009); and
The Internet Information Services Administrative Measures (2000).
These regulations categorize all telecommunications businesses in China as either “basic telecommunications businesses” or
“value-added telecommunications businesses.”
In addition to the regulations promulgated by the PRC central government, some local governments have also promulgated local
rules applicable to Internet companies operating within their respective jurisdictions.
Foreign Ownership Restrictions on Internet Content Provision Businesses
The State Council promulgated the Administrative Rules on Foreign-Invested Telecommunications Enterprises in December
2001, as amended on September 10, 2008, or the FITE Rules. The FITE Rules set forth detailed requirements with respect to
capitalization, investor qualifications and application procedures in connection with the establishment of a foreign-invested
telecommunications enterprise. Pursuant to the FITE Rules, the ultimate capital contribution ratio of the foreign investor or investors
in a foreign-funded telecommunications enterprise that provides value-added telecommunications services shall not exceed 50%.
In addition, for a foreign investor to acquire any equity interest in a value-added telecommunications business in China, it must
satisfy a number of stringent performance and operational experience requirements, including demonstrating a track record and
experience in operating value-added telecommunications business overseas. Moreover, foreign investors that meet these requirements
must obtain approvals from MIIT and the Ministry of Commerce or their authorized local counterparts, which retain considerable
discretion in granting approvals.
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On July 13, 2006, MIIT publicly released the Notice on Strengthening the Administration of Foreign Investment in Operating
Value Added Telecommunications Business, or the MIIT Notice, which reiterates certain provisions under the FITE Rules.
According to the MIIT Notice, if any foreign investor intends to invest in a Chinese telecommunications business, a foreign-invested
telecommunications enterprise shall be established and such enterprise shall apply for the relevant telecommunications business
licenses. The MIIT Notice prohibits domestic telecommunication services providers from leasing, transferring or selling
telecommunications business operating licenses to any foreign investor in any form, or providing any resources, sites or facilities to
any foreign investor for their illegal operation of a telecommunications business in China. According to the MIIT Notice, either the
holder of a value-added telecommunication service license or its shareholders must directly own the domain names and trademarks
used by such license holders in their provision of value-added telecommunication services. The MIIT Notice also requires each
license holder to have the necessary facilities, including servers, for its approved business operations and to maintain such facilities in
the regions covered its license. In order to comply with the MIIT Notice, we have transferred all domain names and trademarks that
are used primarily in connection with our online business activities from Champion Technology to Beijing Champion.
On January 6, 2014, MIIT and the People’s Government of Shanghai jointly promulgated the Opinions on Further Opening up
Value-added Telecommunication Business in China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, which allows foreign investors to own more
than 50% of the equity interests in companies conducting certain value-added telecommunication businesses, such as call center
business, domestic multi-party communications service business, internet connection service business (provision of internet
connection service to online users), online data processing and transaction processing business (foreign investors shall not own more
than 55% of the equity interests). However, these opinions only apply to companies established in China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade
Zone and therefore do not apply to us.
As a result of current PRC laws and regulations that impose substantial restrictions on foreign investment in Internet businesses
in China, we conduct our online education and test preparation business in China through a series of contractual arrangements entered
into among our three PRC subsidiaries, Champion Technology, Champion Education Technology and Zhongxi Healthcare Education,
and our affiliated PRC entities, Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education, each of which is a domestic PRC company
incorporated in the PRC and owned by Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, our chairman and chief executive officer, and Ms. Baohong Yin, our co-
founder and deputy chairman, both of whom are PRC citizens. These contractual arrangements enable us to exercise effective control
over and to receive a substantial portion of the economic benefits from Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education.
Beijing Champion has obtained the licenses and approvals that are required to operate our online education and test preparation
business. We do not have any direct ownership interests or direct voting rights in Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare
Education.
Our contractual arrangements with Beijing Champion include a technical support and consultancy services agreement pursuant
to which Champion Technology is entitled to receive service fees from Beijing Champion. In addition, Champion Technology has
entered into equity pledge agreements (as amended and restated) with each of the shareholders of Beijing Champion, pursuant to
which each shareholder has pledged all of his or her interest in Beijing Champion to Champion Technology as security for the
performance of Beijing Champion’s obligations under the technical support and consultancy services agreement. Pursuant to an
exclusive purchase rights agreement with Beijing Champion and its shareholders, CDEL Hong Kong or any third-party designated by
CDEL Hong Kong has the right to acquire, in whole or in part, the equity interest of Beijing Champion, when permitted by applicable
PRC laws and regulations.
Our contractual arrangements with Champion Healthcare Education include an exclusive business cooperation agreement
pursuant to which Zhongxi Healthcare Education is entitled to receive service fees from Champion Healthcare Education. In addition,
Zhongxi Healthcare Education has entered into an equity pledge agreement with the shareholders of Champion Healthcare Education,
pursuant to which each shareholder has pledged all of his or her interest in Champion Healthcare Education to Zhongxi Healthcare
Education as security for the performance of Champion Healthcare Education’s obligations under the exclusive business cooperation
agreement. Pursuant to an exclusive option agreement with Champion Healthcare Education and its shareholders, Zhongxi Healthcare
Education or any third-party designated by Zhongxi Healthcare Education has the right to acquire, in whole or in part, the equity
interest of Champion Healthcare Education, when permitted by applicable PRC laws and regulations.
There are also certain other agreements and letters of undertaking under the contractual arrangements. For a detailed discussion
of these contractual arrangements, see “Item 4.C. Information on the Company — Organizational Structure.”
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We believe, based on the opinion of our PRC legal counsel, Jingtian & Gongcheng, that:
•
•
the ownership structures of Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries, Champion Healthcare Education and our wholly owned
subsidiaries in China are in compliance with existing published PRC laws and regulations; and
our contractual arrangements among our wholly owned subsidiaries in China, Beijing Champion, Champion Healthcare
Education and their shareholders, are valid and binding, will not result in any violation of published PRC laws or
regulations currently in effect, and are enforceable in accordance with their terms and conditions.
However, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of PRC laws and regulations, including
the laws and regulations governing the enforcement and performance of our contractual arrangements in the event of imposition of
statutory liens, bankruptcy and criminal proceedings. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that the PRC regulatory authorities will not
ultimately take a contrary view. If the PRC government finds that the agreements that establish the structure of our operations in
China do not comply with PRC government restrictions on foreign investment in our industry, we could be subject to severe
penalties. In addition, for a detailed description of the risks associated with our corporate structure and these contractual arrangements
that support our corporate structure, see “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure
and Restrictions on Our Industry.”
Regulations on Value-added Telecommunications Services and Internet Content
Under PRC laws and regulations, Internet content provision services are classified as value-added telecommunications
businesses, and a commercial operator must obtain a Telecommunications and Information Services Operating License, or ICP
license, from the appropriate telecommunications authority in order to carry out commercial Internet content provision operations in
China. These regulations also provide that if the Internet content services are provided in more than one province, then an inter-
provincial ICP license must be obtained from MIIT, while if only one province is involved, the license can be obtained from the
relevant provincial telecommunications administration. In addition, the regulations further provide that operators involved in Internet
content provision that operate in sensitive and strategic sectors, including news, publishing and education, must obtain additional
approvals from the relevant authorities in charge of those sectors.
Each of Beijing Champion, Caikaowang, and Champion Wangge holds an ICP license issued by the Beijing
Telecommunications Administration Bureau, a local branch of the MIIT, which allows it to provide Internet content distribution
services through 17 websites owned by Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries. The ICP license held by Beijing Champion is valid
through August 13, 2018, the ICP license held by Caikaowang is valid through August 13, 2018, and the ICP license held by
Champion Wangge is valid through December 31, 2019. These licenses and approvals are essential to the operation of our online
professional education and test preparation services business.
Regulation of Internet Content
The PRC government has promulgated measures relating to Internet content through a number of ministries and agencies,
including MIIT, the Ministry of Culture, the Press Office of the State Council and the State Press and Publications Administration.
These measures specifically prohibit Internet activities that result in the publication of any content that is found to, among other
things, propagate obscenity, gambling or violence, instigate crimes, undermine public morality or the cultural traditions of China or
compromise state security or secrets. If an ICP license holder violates these measures, the PRC government may revoke its ICP
license and shut down its websites. Under these measures, ICP license holders are required to monitor their websites, including
electronic bulletin boards, for prohibited content and remove any such content that they discover on their websites.
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The posting of news on websites and the distribution of news over the Internet are highly regulated and can only be engaged in
by ICP license holders that have been specifically approved to do so. The Provisional Administrative Measures Regarding Internet
Websites Carrying on the News Posting Business issued by the Press Office of the State Council and MIIT in November 2000
provide that only websites that are established by government-authorized news agencies may operate online news posting businesses
and post news reported by news agencies. Other general websites not established by news agencies may apply to the State Council
News Office for approval to post on their websites news supplied contractually by approved news providers. A copy of the relevant
news supply contract must be filed with the applicable provincial information offices where such other websites are located. These
regulations also provide specific requirements with respect to facilities and level of experience of personnel that must be met by
applicants for approval to post news on their websites. According to the Administration of Internet News Information Services
Provisions promulgated by the Press Office of the State Council and MIIT on September 25, 2005 and effective as of such date, the
term “news information” in these provisions means news information about current affairs, including reports and commentaries on
social and public affairs such as political, economic, military and foreign affairs, as well as reports and commentaries on sudden
social events. The term “Internet news information services” means publication of news information, provision of electronic bulletin
board services for current affairs and distribution of information of current affairs to the public through the Internet. The Press Office
of the State Council is in charge of nationwide supervision and regulation of Internet news information services. The press office of
each province, autonomous region and municipality directly under the central government is in charge of regulating the Internet news
information services within its administrative region. If any information we provide through our websites is deemed current affairs,
we may be subject to the above regulations.
Regulation of Broadcasting Audio-Video Programs through the Internet or Other Information Network
The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, or SAPPRFT, promulgated the Rules for Administration of
Broadcasting of Audio-Video Programs through the Internet and Other Information Networks, or the Broadcasting Rules, in 2004,
which became effective on October 11, 2004. The Broadcasting Rules apply to the activities of broadcasting, integrating, transmitting
and downloading of audio-video programs with computers, televisions or mobile phones and through various types of information
networks. Pursuant to the Broadcasting Rules, a Permit for Broadcasting Audio-Video Programs via Information Network is required
to engage in these Internet broadcasting activities. On April 13, 2005, the State Council announced a policy on private investments in
businesses in China relating to cultural matters that prohibits private investments in businesses relating to the dissemination of audio-
video programs through information networks.
On December 20, 2007, SAPPRFT and MIIT issued the Internet Audio-Video Program Measures, which became effective on
January 31, 2008. Among other things, the Internet Audio-Video Program Measures stipulate that no entities or individuals may
provide Internet audio-video program services without a License for Disseminating Audio-Video Programs through Information
Network issued by SAPPRFT or its local counterparts or completing the relevant registration with SAPPRFT or its local counterparts
and only entities wholly owned or controlled by the PRC government may engage in the production, editing, integration or
consolidation, and transfer to the public through the Internet, of audio-video programs, and the provision of audio-video program
uploading and transmission services. On February 3, 2008, SAPPRFT and MIIT jointly held a press conference in response to
inquiries related to the Internet Audio-Video Program Measures, during which SAPPRFT and MIIT officials indicated that providers
of audio-video program services established prior to the promulgation date of the Internet Audio-Video Program Measures that do not
have any regulatory non-compliance records can re-register with the relevant government authorities to continue their current
business operations. After the conference, the two authorities published a press release that confirms the above guidelines. On
September 15, 2009, SAPPRFT promulgated a notice regarding the issues of the management of Internet Audio-Video Program
Services License, pursuant to which, the closing date of the application for re-registration of the Internet Audio-Video Program
Services License was December 20, 2009.
Due to uncertainties with respect to the interpretation and application of the Internet Audio-Video Program Measures, each year,
we and our PRC counsel consult the Beijing Branch of SAPPRFT, or Beijing SAPPRFT, regarding whether online education services
providers like us that provide audio-video educational courses and programs through the Internet only to enrolled course participants
should apply for said license. After numerous discussions between Beijing SAPPRFT and us, on August 1, 2011, Beijing SAPPRFT
sent us an official response stating that the License for Disseminating Audio-Video Programs through Information Network is not
applicable to us and that we are not required to obtain the License for Disseminating Audio-Video Programs. We cannot guarantee
that Beijing SAPPRFT will not change its position or that the reply will not be challenged by higher authorities in China, or that we
will not be asked to obtain the said license again. For more details, see “Item 3.D. Risk Factors — If we are unable to re-register or
obtain the necessary license as required by the Administrative Measures Regarding Internet Audio-Video Program Services, or the
Internet Audio-Video Program Measures, in a timely manner or at all, our equity ownership structure may require significant
restructuring, or we may become subject to significant penalties, fines, legal sanctions or an order to suspend our use of audio-video
content, in which case our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.”
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Regulation of Information Security
Internet content in China is also regulated and restricted by the PRC government to protect state security. The National People’s
Congress has enacted a law that may subject to criminal punishment in China any person who: (i) gains improper entry into a
computer or system of strategic importance; (ii) disseminates politically disruptive information; (iii) leaks state secrets; (iv) spreads
false commercial information; or (v) infringes intellectual property rights.
The Ministry of Public Security has promulgated measures that prohibit use of the Internet in ways that, among other things,
result in a leakage of state secrets or a spread of socially destabilizing content. The Ministry of Public Security has supervision and
inspection rights in this regard, and we are subject to the jurisdiction of the local security bureaus. If an ICP license holder violates
these measures, the PRC government may revoke its ICP license and shut down its websites. We believe we are in compliance with
these regulations.
Regulation of Domain Names and Website Names
PRC law requires owners of Internet domain names to register their domain names with qualified domain name registration
agencies approved by MIIT and obtain registration certificates from such registration agencies. A registered domain name owner has
an exclusive use right over its domain name. Unregistered domain names may not receive proper legal protections and may be
misappropriated by unauthorized third parties. As of September 30, 2015, we had registered 298 domain names relating to our
websites, with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and the China Internet Network Information Center.
PRC law requires entities operating commercial websites to register their website names with the State Administration of
Industry and Commerce or its local offices and obtain commercial website name registration certificates. If any entity operates a
commercial website without obtaining such a certificate, it may be charged a fine or imposed other penalties by SAIC or its local
offices. We have registered 14 website names used in connection with our online education business with Beijing Municipal Bureau
of Industry and Commerce.
Regulation of Internet Publishing
In June 2002, the State Press and Publications Administration and MIIT issued the Interim Provisions on Internet Publishing, or
the Internet Publishing Regulations. The Internet Publishing Regulations require that all entities engaging in Internet publishing
obtain approval from the State Press and Publications Administration before they can conduct any Internet publishing business.
“Internet publishing” is broadly defined in the Internet Publishing Regulations as an act of online dissemination of works created by
ICP license holders or others that such ICP license holders select, edit and process and subsequently post on the Internet or transmit to
users via the Internet for browsing, reading, use or downloading by the public. These works include contents from books, newspapers,
periodicals, audio-video products, electronic publications that have already been formally published or works that have been made
public in other media or from the browsed and processed works relating to literature, art, nature science, social science, engineering
technology and other aspects. The Internet Publishing Regulations include a requirement for Internet publishing organizations to have
professional editorial personnel examine the contents being published to ensure that they comply with applicable laws. We believe we
currently operate our business in a manner that complies with this regulation.
Regulation of Privacy Protection
PRC law does not prohibit Internet content providers from collecting and analyzing personal information from their users. PRC
law prohibits Internet content providers from disclosing to any third parties any information transmitted by users through their
networks unless otherwise permitted by law. If an Internet content provider violates these regulations, it may be liable for damages
caused to its users and penalties or sanctions may be imposed by PRC governmental authorities including MIIT or its local
counterparts. We believe we are in compliance with these regulations.
On December 28, 2012, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress promulgated the Decision to Strengthen the
Protection of Internet Information, or the Information Protection Decision, to strengthen the protection of personal information on the
Internet. The Information Protection Decision provides that the Internet content providers must expressly inform their users of the
purpose, manner to collect and use the users’ personal information and the scope of the information to be collected and used by the
provider. In addition, the Internet content providers can collect and use the user’s personal information only with the consent of users
and only within the scope of such consent. On July 16, 2013, MIIT promulgated the Provisions on the Protection of Personal
Information of Telecommunication and Internet Users, which defines “Personal Information” as the information that can be used
individually or in combination with other information to identify the users, including but not limited to the name, birth date, ID No.,
address, telephone number and account number.
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Regulations on Protection of the Right of Dissemination through Information Networks
On May 18, 2006, the State Council promulgated the Regulations on Protection of the Right of Dissemination through
Information Networks, or the Dissemination Protection Regulations, which became effective on July 1, 2006 and was amended on
January 30, 2013. The Dissemination Protection Regulations require that every organization or individual who disseminates a third-
party’s work, performance, audio or visual recording products to the public through information networks shall obtain permission
from, and pay compensation to, the copyright owner of such products, unless otherwise provided under relevant laws and regulations.
The copyright owner may take technical measures to protect his or her right of dissemination through information networks and any
organization or individual shall not intentionally evade, circumvent or otherwise assist others in evading such protective measures
unless permissible under law. The Dissemination Protection Regulations also provide that permission from the copyright owners and
compensation for the copyright-protected works is not required in the event of limited dissemination to teaching or research staff for
the purpose of school teaching or scientific research only.
Regulation of Online Cultural Activities
On February 17, 2011, the Ministry of Culture promulgated the Interim Administrative Provisions on Internet Culture, or the
Internet Culture Provisions, which became effective on April 1, 2011. The Internet Culture Provisions apply to all ICPs that engage in
the production and dissemination of cultural products via the Internet. “Internet cultural activities” is defined in the Internet Culture
Provisions as an act of provision of Internet cultural products and related services, which includes (i) the production, duplication,
importation, and broadcasting of the Internet cultural products; (ii) the online dissemination whereby cultural products are posted on
the Internet or transmitted via the Internet to end-users, such as computers, fixed-line telephones, mobile phones, television sets and
games machines, for online users’ browsing, use or downloading; and (iii) the exhibition and comparison of the Internet cultural
products. In addition, “Internet cultural products” is defined in the Internet Culture Provisions as cultural products produced,
broadcasted and disseminated via the Internet, which mainly include internet cultural products specially produced for the Internet,
such as online music entertainment, online games, online shows and plays (programs), online performances, online works of art and
online cartoons; and internet cultural products produced from cultural products such as music entertainment, games, shows and plays
(programs), performances, works of art, and cartoons through certain techniques and duplicate those to internet for dissemination. All
entities engaging in commercial Internet cultural activities, or Internet Cultural Entities, must be approved by the governmental
agency of culture at the provincial level and by MIIT. Beijing Champion holds a Permit of Internet Cultural Activities issued by
Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture that is valid through December 31, 2017.
Regulation of Online and Distance Education
Pursuant to the Administrative Regulations on Educational Websites and Online and Distance Education Schools issued by
MOE in 2000, or the Online Education Regulation, educational websites and online education schools may provide education
services in relation to higher education, elementary education, pre-school education, teacher education, occupational education, adult
education and other educational services. Under the Online Education Regulations, “Educational websites” refers to education
websites providing education or education-related information services to website visitors by means of a database or an online
education platform connected via the Internet or an educational television station through an Internet service provider, or ISP. Under
the Online Education Regulations, “Online education schools” refer to organizations providing academic education services or
training services with the issuance of various certificates.
Under the Online Education Regulations, setting up educational websites and online education schools is subject to approval
from relevant education authorities, depending on the specific types of education provided. Under the Online Education Regulations,
any educational website and online education school shall, upon receipt of approval, indicate on its website such approval information
as well as the approval date and file number.
According to the Administrative License Law promulgated by the National People’s Congress on August 27, 2003 and effective
as of July 1, 2004, only laws promulgated by the National People’s Congress and regulations and decisions promulgated by the State
Council may establish administrative license requirements. On June 29, 2004, the State Council promulgated the Decision on Cutting
Down Administrative Licenses for the Administrative Examination and Approval Items Really Necessary to be Retained, in which
the administrative license for “online education schools” was retained, while the administrative license for “educational websites”
was not retained.
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Based on the opinion of our PRC legal counsel, Jingtian & Gongcheng, we believe that:
•
•
None of Beijing Champion, Caikaowang, Champion Wangge and Champion Healthcare Education is required to obtain a
license to operate “educational websites” from the MOE under the current PRC laws or regulations;
None of Beijing Champion, Caikaowang, Champion Wangge and Champion Healthcare Education is required to obtain a
license to operate “online education schools” because it does not offer through its website education services or training
programs that directly offer government accredited academic degrees or other government accreditation certifications.
However, as the Administrative Regulations on Educational Websites and Online and Distance Education Schools has not been
officially abolished, MOE or its local counterparts may continue to require online education providers like us to obtain approvals to
run online education websites. If so required, we cannot assure you that such approvals can be obtained by us timely or at all.
Regulation on the Wholesale, Retail and Rental of Book and Audio-Video Products
Under the Administrative Measures for the Publication Market, or Administrative Measures, which was jointly promulgated by
the State Press and Publication Administration and the Ministry of Commerce and became effective on March 25, 2011, any
enterprise or individual wishing to engage in publication distributing activities must obtain permission from the press and publication
agency at relevant levels. “Publication” and “distributing” are defined, respectively, in the Administrative Measures, as “books,
newspapers, periodicals, audio-video products, and electronic publications” and “general distribution, wholesale, retail, rental,
exhibition and other activities.” Any enterprise or individual who engages in publication wholesale shall obtain a Publication
Business License issued by the press and publication agency at the provincial level. A publications wholesale enterprise can engage in
retail distribution as well. Any enterprise or individual who engages in publication rental shall file a record to the press and
publication agency at the county level. Each of Beijing Champion and Champion Culture hold a Publication Business Permit for book
wholesale issued by Beijing Press and Publication Bureau in February 2008 and May 2015, respectively, under which both of them
are allowed to engage in the book wholesale and retail businesses. These permits are valid through December 31, 2015 and are in the
process of renewal.
Regulation on E-commerce
China’s e-commerce industry has developed quickly and a handful of PRC laws and regulations broadly regulates all goods and
services provided through the Internet. In January 2005, the State Council adopted the Several Opinions on Promotion of the
Development of E-commerce, which provides the guideline for the administration of e-commerce business in the PRC. To further
implement this regulation, the Ministry of Commerce adopted in March 2007 the Guiding Opinions on Online Trading (for Tentative
Implementation), which defines online trading as the trade of goods or services conducted between buyers and sellers via the Internet.
All online trading participants must abide by the relevant PRC laws and are prohibited from carrying out illegal activities through
online trading. In January 2014, SAIC adopted the Administrative Measures for Online Trading, which provides that online sellers
must display their business licenses or the links to their business license on relevant web pages, take measures to ensure the safety of
online transaction and issue purchase vouchers to consumers in accordance with relevant laws or business practices.
On June 19, 2015, MIIT promulgated the Circular on Removing the Restrictions on Shareholding Ratio Held by Foreign
Investors in Online Data Processing and Transaction Processing (Operating E-commerce) Business. The circular stipulates that the
ceiling of foreign ownership ratio of online data processing and transaction processing (operating e-commerce) business may be up to
100 percent.
Regulations on Private Education
The principal regulations governing private education in China consist of the Education Law of the PRC, the Law for Promoting
Private Education (2003) and the Implementation Rules for the Law for Promoting Private Education (2004). These regulations are
summarized below.
On March 18, 1995, the National People’s Congress promulgated the Education Law of the PRC, or the Education Law, which
became effective on September 1, 1995. The Education Law stipulates that enterprises, social organizations and individuals are
encouraged to operate schools and other types of educational organizations in accordance with the PRC laws and regulations.
Meanwhile, no organization or individual may establish or operate a school or any other institution of education for profit-making
purposes. However, private schools may be operated for “reasonable returns” as described in more detail below.
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The Law for Promoting Private Education (2003) became effective on September 1, 2003 and was amended on June 29, 2013,
and the Implementation Rules for the Law for Promoting Private Education (2004) became effective on April 1, 2004. Under these
regulations, “private schools” are defined as schools established by social organizations or individuals using non-government funds.
In addition, private schools providing certifications, pre-school education, education for self-study aid and other academic education
shall be subject to approval by the education authorities, while private schools engaging in occupational qualification training and
occupational skill training shall be subject to approvals from the authorities in charge of labor and social welfare. A duly approved
private school will be granted a Permit for Operating a Private School, and shall be registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the
PRC, or MCA or its local counterparts as a privately-run, non-enterprise institution. Each of Beijing Champion Training School and
Nanjing Champion Training School holds a Permit for Operating a Private School, which is valid through March 31, 2016 and
October 31, 2017, respectively.
Under the above regulations, private schools have the same status as public schools, though private schools are prohibited from
providing military, police, political and other kinds of education which are of a special nature. In addition, the operation of private
schools is highly regulated. For example, the types and amounts of fees charged by private schools offering certifications must be
approved by the relevant governmental authority and be publicly disclosed, and the types and amounts of fees charged by private
schools that do not offer certifications need only be filed with the relevant governmental authority and be publicly disclosed.
Private education is treated as a public welfare undertaking under the regulations. Nonetheless, investors in a private school may
choose to require “reasonable returns” from the annual net balance of the school after deduction of costs, donations received,
government subsidies, if any, the reserved development fund and other expenses as required by the regulations.
The election to establish a private school requiring reasonable returns shall be provided in the articles of association of the
school. The percentage of the school’s annual net balance that can be distributed as reasonable returns shall be determined by the
school’s board of directors, taking into consideration the following factors: (i) the school’s tuition and other fees, (ii) the ratio of the
school’s expenses used for educational activities and improving the educational conditions to the total fees collected; and (iii) the
school’s admission standards and educational quality. Information relating to the above factors shall be publicly disclosed before the
school’s board determines the percentage of the school’s annual net balance that can be distributed as reasonable returns. This
disclosed information and the decision to distribute reasonable returns shall also be filed with the approval authorities within 15 days
from the decision made by the board. However, none of the current PRC laws and regulations provides a formula or guidelines for
determining “reasonable returns.” In addition, none of the current PRC laws and regulations sets forth different requirements or
restrictions on a private school’s ability to operate its education business based on such school’s status as a school that requires
reasonable returns or a school that does not require reasonable returns. On July 29, 2010, the PRC central government, in the Outlines
of China’s National Plan for Medium and Long Term Education Reform and Development promulgated by it, for the first time
announced the policy that the government will implement a reform to divide private education entities into two categories: (i) for-
profit private education entities and (ii) not-for-profit private education entities. However, this outline is still new and no further law
or regulation has been promulgated to implement it yet.
At the end of each fiscal year, private schools are required to allocate a certain amount to their development fund for the
construction and maintenance of the school and the procurement and upgrade of educational equipment. In the case of private schools
that require reasonable returns, this amount shall be no less than 25% of the annual net income or the annual increase in the net assets
of the school, while in the case of private schools that do not require reasonable returns, this amount shall be no less than 25% of the
annual increase in the net assets of the school, if any. Private schools that do not require reasonable returns shall be entitled to the
same preferential tax treatment as public schools. The regulations require that preferential tax treatment policies applicable to private
schools requiring reasonable returns to be formulated by the finance authority, taxation authority and other authorities under the State
Council, but to date no such regulations have been promulgated by the relevant authorities.
Regulation on Copyright and Trademark Protection
China has adopted legislation governing intellectual property rights, including copyrights and trademarks. China is a signatory
to the main international conventions on intellectual property rights and became a member of the Agreement on Trade Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights upon its accession to the World Trade Organization in December 2001. The National People’s
Congress amended the Copyright Law in 2001 to widen the scope of works and rights that are eligible for copyright protection. The
amended Copyright Law extends copyright protection to Internet activities, products disseminated over the Internet and software
products. In addition, there is a voluntary registration system administered by the China Copyright Protection Center. Pursuant to the
Copyright Law, which was amended on February 26, 2010 and became effective on April 1, 2010, in exercising copyright, copyright
owners shall not violate the Constitution and the laws, nor damage the public interests. The State supervises and administers the
publication and dissemination of the works in compliance with the law. In the event that the copyright is pledged, both the pledgor
and pledgee shall register the pledge with the copyright administrative authorities of the State Council.
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To address the problem of copyright infringement related to the content posted or transmitted over the Internet, the National
Copyright Administration and the MII jointly promulgated the Administrative Measures for Copyright Protection Related to the
Internet on April 29, 2005. These measures became effective on May 30, 2005.
The PRC Trademark Law, adopted in 1982 and revised in 2013, protects the proprietary rights to registered trademarks. The
Trademark Office under SAIC handles trademark registrations and grants a term of ten years to registered trademarks and another ten
years to trademarks as requested upon expiry of the prior term. Trademark license agreements must be filed with the Trademark
Office for record. In addition, if a registered trademark is recognized as a well-known trademark in a specific case, the proprietary
right of the trademark holder may be extended beyond the registered sphere of products and services of the trademark in such case.
Employment Laws
In accordance with the Labor Law, which became effective in January 1995, and the Labor Contract Law, which was
promulgated on June 29, 2007, amended on December 28, 2012 and became effective on July 1, 2013, employers must execute
written labor contracts with full-time employees in order to establish an employment relationship. According to the Labor Contract
Law, an employer is under an obligation to sign an unlimited-term labor contract with any employee who has worked for the
employer for ten consecutive years. Further, if an employee requests or agrees to renew a fixed-term labor contract that has already
been entered into twice consecutively, the resulting contract must have an unlimited term, with certain exceptions. The employer
must also pay severance to an employee in nearly all instances where a labor contract, including a contract with an unlimited term, is
terminated or expires. All employers must compensate their employees equal to at least the local minimum wage standards. All
employers are required to establish a system for labor safety and sanitation, strictly abide by state rules and standards and provide
employees with appropriate workplace safety training. In addition, the government has continued to introduce various new labor-
related regulations after the Labor Contract Law. Among other things, new annual leave requirements mandate that annual leave
ranging from 5 to 15 days is available to nearly all employees and further require that the employer compensate an employee for any
annual leave days the employee is unable to take in the amount of three times his daily salary, subject to certain exceptions. In
addition, companies operating in China are required to participate in social insurance and housing fund plans in which the employers
must pay for the employees social welfare and housing fund based upon certain percentages of employees’ salaries.
Regulation of Foreign Exchange
The PRC government imposes restrictions on the convertibility of the Renminbi and on the collection and use of foreign
currency by PRC entities. Under current regulations, the Renminbi is convertible for current account transactions, which include
dividend distributions, interest payments, and the import and export of goods and services. Conversion of Renminbi into foreign
currency and foreign currency into Renminbi for capital account transactions, such as direct investment, portfolio investment and
loans, however, is still generally subject to the prior approval of SAFE.
Under current PRC regulations, foreign-invested enterprises such as our PRC subsidiaries are required to apply to SAFE for a
Foreign Exchange Registration Certificate for Foreign-Invested Enterprise. With such a certificate (which is subject to review and
renewal by SAFE on an annual basis), a foreign-invested enterprise may open foreign exchange bank accounts at banks authorized to
conduct foreign exchange business by SAFE and may buy, sell and remit foreign exchange through such banks, subject to
documentation and approval requirements. Foreign-invested enterprises are required to open and maintain separate foreign exchange
accounts for capital account transactions and current account transactions. In addition, there are restrictions on the amount of foreign
currency that foreign-invested enterprises may retain in such accounts.
Further, SAFE promulgated a new circular (known as Circular 142) in August 2008 with respect to the administration of
conversion of foreign exchange capital contributions of a foreign invested enterprise. The circular clarifies that Renminbi converted
from foreign exchange capital contributions can only be used for the activities within the approved business scope of such foreign
invested enterprise and cannot be used for domestic equity investments unless otherwise permitted.
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In addition, SAFE also strengthened its oversight over the flow and use of Renminbi converted from the foreign currency
denominated capital of a foreign-invested company. The use of such Renminbi may not be changed without approval from SAFE,
and such Renminbi may not be used to repay Renminbi loans if the proceeds of such loans have not yet been used. Violations of
Circular 142 may result in severe penalties, including substantial fines as set forth in the related foreign exchange administration
rules. In addition, SAFE promulgated a circular on November 9, 2010, or Circular 59, which tightens the regulation over settlement
of the fund which is raised from overseas offerings such as our initial public offering and follow-on public offering and is transferred
back to the PRC and requires that the settlement of such fund must be consistent with the description in the prospectuses for the initial
public offering and follow-on public offering. Furthermore, it has recently come to our attention that SAFE issued an internal
guideline to its local counterparts, referred to as Circular 45, in November 2011. Circular 45 has never been formally announced by
SAFE to the public or posted on SAFE’s website. Based on the version made publicly available by certain local governmental
authorities on their websites, we understand that Circular 45 requires SAFE’s local counterparts to strengthen the control imposed by
Circulars 142 and 59 over the conversion of a foreign-invested company’s capital contributed in foreign currency into RMB. Circular
45 stipulates that a foreign-invested company’s RMB funds, if converted from such company’s capital contributed in foreign
currency, may not be used by such company to (i) extend loans (in the form of entrusted loans), (ii) repay borrowings between
enterprises, or (iii) repay bank loans it has obtained and on-lent to third parties.
On May 10, 2013, SAFE released Circular 21, which came into effect on May 13, 2013. According to Circular 21, SAFE has
simplified the foreign exchange administration procedures with respect to the registration, account openings and conversions, receipt
and payment, settlements and sale of foreign exchange in relation to foreign direct investment.
Regulation of Foreign Exchange Registration of Offshore Investment by PRC Residents
Pursuant to the SAFE Notice on the Administration of Foreign Exchange Involved in Overseas Investment, Financing and
Round-Trip Investment Conducted by Domestic Residents through Special-Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, which became
effective as of July 4, 2014, a PRC Resident, including both PRC domestic institutions and PRC domestic individual residents, shall
register with the local branch of SAFE before it establishes or controls a company outside of China with the domestic or overseas
assets or equity they legally hold for the purpose of investment and financing and conducting roundtrip investment in China. Such a
company located outside of China is referred to as an offshore special purpose vehicle. Under SAFE Circular 37, failure to comply
with the registration procedures set forth above may result in the penalties, including imposition of restrictions on a PRC subsidiary’s
foreign exchange activities and its ability to distribute dividends to the SPV.
As a Cayman Islands company, we are considered a foreign entity in China. If we purchase the assets or equity interests of a
PRC company owned by PRC residents in exchange for our equity interests, such PRC residents will be subject to the registration
procedures described in SAFE Circular 37. Moreover, PRC residents who are beneficial holders of our shares are required to register
with SAFE in connection with their investment in us.
Regulation of Overseas Listings
On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, including the CSRC, promulgated the Regulation on Mergers and Acquisitions
of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors, which became effective on September 8, 2006 and was amended on June 22, 2009, or
the M&A Rule. This M&A Rule, among other things, has certain provisions that require offshore special purpose vehicles, or SPVs,
formed for the purpose of acquiring PRC domestic companies and controlled by PRC individuals, to obtain the approval of the CSRC
prior to listing their securities on an overseas stock exchange.
We believe, based on the opinion of our PRC legal counsel, Jingtian & Gongcheng, that while the CSRC generally has
jurisdiction over overseas listings of SPVs like us, CSRC’s approval was not required for our initial public offering given the fact that
our corporate structure was established before the M&A Rule became effective. There remains some uncertainty as to how the M&A
Rule will be interpreted or implemented in the context of an overseas offering. If the CSRC or another PRC regulatory agency
subsequently determines that approval was required for our initial public offering, we may face sanctions by the CSRC or another
PRC regulatory agency. If this happens, these regulatory agencies may impose fines and penalties on our operations in the PRC, limit
our operating privileges in the PRC, restrict or prohibit payment or remittance of dividends by our PRC subsidiaries to us or take
other actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and
prospects, as well as the trading price of our ADS. See “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — General Risks Relating to
Conducting Business in China — If the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or CSRC, or another PRC regulatory agency
determines that its approval was required in connection with our initial public offering, we may become subject to penalties.”
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Regulation of Security Review
On February 3, 2011, the General Office of the State Council issued the Circular of the General Office of the State Council on
the Establishment of Security Review System for Foreign Investors’ Merger and Acquisition of Domestic Enterprises (the “Circular
on the Establishment of Security Review”), which became effective on March 4, 2011. Among other things, the Circular on the
Establishment of Security Review stipulates that the scope of the security review lies in foreign investors’ acquisition of domestic
military enterprises, military-related enterprises, enterprises involving sensitive military facilities and other enterprises that impact
national defense security; foreign investors’ acquisition of domestic enterprises which may provide foreign investors with de facto
control over industries relating to national security, such as important agricultural products, energy and natural resources,
infrastructures, transportation services, technologies and major equipment manufacturing. On August 25, 2011, the Ministry of
Commerce issued the Circular of the Ministry of Commerce on the Implementation of Security Review System for Foreign Investors’
Merger and Acquisition of Domestic Enterprises (the “Circular on the Implementation of Security Review”), which became effective
on September 1, 2011. Among other things, the Circular on the Implementation of Security Review further specifies that whether a
foreign investors’ acquisition of domestic enterprises falls within the scope of the security review depends on the said transaction’s
substantive content and practical influence. Foreign investors shall not circumvent the security review through any arrangements or
schemes, including but not limited to trust, lease and/or contractual arrangements.
According to our PRC counsel, as our contractual arrangements were first established in 2003, the new security review system
shall not apply to our contractual arrangements. We cannot guarantee, however, that the Ministry of Commerce will not promulgate
additional implementing rules or new rules that will bring our contractual arrangements under the scope of the security review
system. Moreover, according to a press conference held by the Ministry of Commerce on September 20, 2011, there are no specific
laws or regulations governing contractual arrangements like the ones that we employ, but the Ministry of Commerce together with
other authorities would study how to regulate them in the future. Hence, we cannot assure you that our contractual arrangements will
not be subject to new regulations that will be issued by relevant regulatory authorities and that such new regulations will not cause
any material adverse effect on our existing structure. See “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our
Corporate Structure and Restrictions on Our Industry — Our contractual arrangements may be subjected to severe censorship under
PRC laws and regulations and, thus, be challenged by relevant regulatory authorities.”
SAFE Regulations on Employee Share Options
On February 15, 2012, SAFE issued the Notice on Issues concerning the Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic
Individuals Participating in Stock Incentive Plan of Overseas Publicly-Listed Company, or the Stock Option Rules. According to the
Stock Option Rules, PRC residents who participate in an employee share incentive plan of an overseas publicly-listed company are
required to register with the SAFE and complete certain other procedures. These participates should retain a PRC agent, which can be
a branch or representative office of the overseas listed company in China, a Chinese institution which has controlling relationship or
actual control relationship with the offshore listed company, or a Chinese institution qualified for asset custody business, to handle
various foreign exchange matters associated with their employee share incentive plan. The PRC agent should file on behalf of the
PRC resident an application with SAFE to register such employee share incentive plan, apply annually for a quota for the payment of
foreign currencies in connection with the exercise of the employee share options by the PRC resident and open a special foreign
exchange account at a PRC domestic bank to hold the funds required in connection with the share incentive plan. In addition, the PRC
agent is required to amend the SAFE registration with respect to the stock incentive plan if there is any material change to the
employee share incentive plan, PRC agent or overseas entrusted institution.
In addition, the State Administration of Taxation has issued a few circulars concerning employee share options. Under these
circulars, our employees working in China who exercise share options will be subject to PRC individual income tax. Our PRC
subsidiaries have obligations to file documents relating to employee share options with relevant tax authorities and withhold
individual income taxes of those employees who exercise their share options. If our employees fail to pay and we fail to withhold
their income taxes, we may face sanctions imposed by tax authorities or other PRC government authorities.
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C. Organizational Structure
Due to PRC legal restrictions on foreign ownership and investment in the Internet content distribution industry in China, we
operate our online education business through Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education, each a domestic Chinese
company owned by Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong Yin, both of whom are PRC citizens. We have entered into a series of
contractual arrangements with Beijing Champion, Champion Healthcare Education and their respective shareholders as disclosed
below. As a result of these contractual arrangements, we have the power to direct the activities of, and have the right to receive
benefits from, Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education, and accordingly, under U.S. GAAP, we consolidate Beijing
Champion and Champion Healthcare Education’s operating results in our consolidated financial statements. For risks associated with
these contractual arrangements, see “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure and
Restrictions on Our Industry.”
The following diagram illustrates our corporate and share ownership structure as of the date of this annual report.
(1) Equity pledge agreements, powers of attorney, acknowledgement letters, tri-party agreement re VIE structure and letter of
undertaking
(2) Technical support and consultancy services agreement, courseware license agreement and letter of undertaking
(3) Software license agreement and courseware production entrustment agreement
(4) Equity pledge agreement, exclusive option agreement, powers of attorney, tri-party agreement re VIE structure and letter of
undertaking
(5) Exclusive business cooperation agreement and letter of undertaking
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The following is a summary of the material provisions of these agreements. For more complete information you should read
these agreements in their entirety. Directions on how to obtain copies of these agreements are provided in this annual report under
“Item 10.H. Additional Information — Documents on Display.”
Agreements that transfer economic benefits of the controlled affiliates and their subsidiaries to us
Technical Support and Consultancy Services Agreement, dated May 1, 2004. Under this agreement, Champion Technology
provides Beijing Champion with exclusive technical support and consultancy services relating to Beijing Champion’s online
education business. The services rendered by Champion Technology mainly include assisting in course creation and production,
undertaking pre-paid study card production, advising on website design and maintenance, providing general technology support and
technical personnel training, assisting in strategic planning and business development and establishing and implementing a customer
service system. In return, Beijing Champion pays Champion Technology a monthly service fee approved by Champion Technology.
In addition, Beijing Champion undertook not to approve its annual budget, or engage in any transactions that could materially affect
Beijing Champion’s capital structure, assets, liabilities, rights or operations, without the prior written consent of Champion
Technology. Champion Technology undertook to provide financial support at Beijing Champion’s request in a manner permitted by
law. This agreement will remain effective until Beijing Champion ceases its operations.
Equity Pledge Agreements entered into on May 1, 2004 and amended and restated on December 31, 2008. To secure the
payment obligations of Beijing Champion under the technical support and consultancy services agreement described above, each of
Beijing Champion’s shareholders, Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin, pledged to Champion Technology his or her entire equity ownership
interests in Beijing Champion pursuant to an Equity Pledge Agreement entered into on May 1, 2004, or the May 2004 Equity Pledge
Agreement. In May 2008, Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin contributed an additional RMB16.8 million ($2.5 million) to Beijing Champion as
increased registered capital. In connection with such capital contribution to Beijing Champion, each of Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin
amended and restated his or her May 2004 Equity Pledge Agreement on December 31, 2008, or the Amended and Restated Equity
Pledge Agreement. The pledge created under each of the Amended and Restated Equity Pledge Agreements could only become
effective after such pledge is registered with SAIC or its local office. We successfully registered the pledge created under each of the
Amended and Restated Equity Pledge Agreements with the Beijing office of SAIC on January 12, 2009. Upon the occurrence of
certain events of default specified in the Amended and Restated Equity Pledge Agreements, the pledgee may exercise its rights and
foreclose on the pledged equity interest. Under such agreements, the pledgors may not transfer the pledged equity interests without
the pledgee’s prior written consent. The agreements will also be binding upon successors of the pledgors and transferees of the
pledged equity interests. These agreements will remain effective until the discharge of Beijing Champion’s contractual obligations
under the technical support and consultancy services agreement as described above.
Letter of Undertaking from Beijing Champion’s Shareholders to Champion Technology, dated February 13, 2008. Pursuant to
this letter addressed to Champion Technology, the shareholders of Beijing Champion undertook to, unless restricted by laws,
regulations or legal procedures, (i) remit all dividends, interests, other distributions or remnant assets after liquidation, if any, they
receive from Beijing Champion to Champion Technology without compensation, after paying the corresponding tax and any other
required expenses, (ii) transfer all or part of their equity interests in Beijing Champion to CDEL Hong Kong at a nominal or minimal
purchase price, in the event CDEL Hong Kong exercises its exclusive purchase right to acquire any or all of the equity interests in
Beijing Champion, (iii) remit to Champion Technology all considerations they may receive from CDEL Hong Kong’s acquisition of
any equity interests in Beijing Champion, without compensation, after paying the corresponding tax and any other required expenses
and (iv) act in the best interest of Champion Technology.
Declaration Letters, dated March 24, 2008. Pursuant to these letters, the shareholders of Beijing Champion acknowledged that
the distribution of dividends in March 2005 in the amount of $0.7 million was a one-time distribution of all dividends accrued prior to
the execution of the technical support and consultancy services agreement described above. After the aforesaid one-time dividend
distribution, the shareholders of Beijing Champion undertook that they will, unless restricted by law, remit all dividends they may
receive from Beijing Champion to Champion Technology after paying applicable tax and other required expenses.
Software License Agreement, dated May 20, 2007. Pursuant to this agreement, Champion Education Technology granted Beijing
Champion a non-exclusive license to use the online course delivery platform for the duration of its operating period. In return, Beijing
Champion pays Champion Education Technology a license fee calculated based on the revenues generated from the use of the
platform.
Courseware Production Entrustment Agreement, dated May 20, 2007. Pursuant to this agreement, Champion Education
Technology provides Beijing Champion with services of editing, production, compilation, updating and maintenance of courseware.
As consideration, Beijing Champion pays Champion Education Technology a fee calculated based on an hourly rate.
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Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement, dated December 28, 2015. Under this agreement, Zhongxi Healthcare Education
provides Champion Healthcare Education with exclusive technical support, marketing and consultancy services relating to Champion
Healthcare Education’s online education business. The services rendered by Zhongxi Healthcare Education mainly include assisting
in courseware creation and production, advising on company management and healthcare distance education, providing general
technology support and technical personnel training, assisting in collection and research of market information, licensing domain
names, trademarks and software and leasing equipments and properties for online education business. In return, Champion Healthcare
Education pays Zhongxi Healthcare Education a quarterly service fee approved by Zhongxi Healthcare Education. In addition,
Champion Healthcare Education undertook not to engage in any transactions that could materially affect Champion Healthcare
Education’s capital structure, assets, liabilities, rights or operations, without the prior written consent of Zhongxi Healthcare
Education. Zhongxi Healthcare Education undertook to provide financial support at Champion Healthcare Education’s request in a
manner permitted by law. This agreement will remain effective until Zhongxi Healthcare Education terminates this agreement in
writing.
Equity Pledge Agreement, dated December 28, 2015. Under this agreement, for the purpose to secure the payment obligations of
Champion Healthcare Education under the exclusive business cooperation agreement described above, each of Champion Healthcare
Education’s shareholders, Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin, pledged to Zhongxi Healthcare Education his or her entire equity ownership interests
in Champion Healthcare Education. The pledge created under this agreement could only become effective after such pledge is
registered with SAIC or its local office. We are in the process to register the pledge created under this agreement with the Beijing
office of SAIC. Upon the occurrence of certain events of default specified in this agreement, the pledgee may exercise its rights and
foreclose on the pledged equity interest. Under this agreement, the pledgors may not transfer the pledged equity interests without the
pledgee’s prior written consent. This agreement will also be binding upon successors of the pledgors and transferees of the pledged
equity interests. This agreement will remain effective until the discharge of Champion Healthcare Education’s contractual obligations
under the exclusive business cooperation agreement as described above.
Letter of Undertaking from Champion Healthcare Education’s Shareholders to Zhongxi Healthcare Education, dated
December 28, 2015. Pursuant to this letter addressed to Zhongxi Healthcare Education, the shareholders of Champion Healthcare
Education undertook to, unless restricted by laws, regulations or legal procedures, (i) remit all dividends, interests, other distributions
or remnant assets after liquidation, if any, they receive from Champion Healthcare Education to Zhongxi Healthcare Education
without compensation, after paying the corresponding tax and any other required expenses, (ii) transfer all or part of their equity
interests in Champion Healthcare Education to Zhongxi Healthcare Education at a nominal or minimal purchase price, in the event
Zhongxi Healthcare Education exercises its exclusive option to acquire any or all of the equity interests in Champion Healthcare
Education, (iii) remit to Zhongxi Healthcare Education all considerations they may receive from Zhongxi Healthcare Education’s
acquisition of any equity interests in Champion Healthcare Education, without compensation, after paying the corresponding tax and
any other required expenses, and (iv) act in the best interest of Zhongxi Healthcare Education.
Agreements that provide us with effective control over the controlled affiliates and their subsidiaries
Exclusive Purchase Rights Agreement, dated May 9, 2004. Pursuant to the exclusive purchase rights agreement entered into
among CDEL Hong Kong, Beijing Champion and its shareholders, CDEL Hong Kong or any third-party designated by it has the right
to acquire, in whole or in part, the respective equity interests in Beijing Champion of its shareholders when permitted by applicable
PRC laws and regulations. The term of this agreement is ten years and can be extended for another ten years at the discretion of
CDEL Hong Kong. On December 19, 2014, CDEL Hong Kong decided to extend the term of this agreement for another ten years and
retroactively acknowledged the validity of this agreement for the period from May 9, 2014 to December 19, 2014.
Powers of Attorney, dated March 25, 2008. Pursuant to these powers of attorney, each shareholder of Beijing Champion
authorized Champion Technology or any person it designates to (i) exercise all voting powers that such shareholder enjoys under the
laws and the articles of association of Beijing Champion, including the sale, transfer or pledge, in whole or in part, of such
shareholder’s equity interests in Beijing Champion; (ii) nominate and appoint, on behalf of such shareholder, the legal representative,
directors, supervisors, general manager, and other senior management of Beijing Champion; (iii) execute the share transfer agreement
as contemplated by the exclusive purchase rights agreement described above, and perform the equity pledge agreement and the
exclusive purchase rights agreement described above; and (iv) authorize any third party to carry out any of the above actions. In
addition, the shareholders undertook to refrain from exercising any of the abovementioned rights.
Notice to Beijing Champion and its Shareholders, dated March 25, 2008. Pursuant to this notice, Champion Technology
authorized Mr. Zhengdong Zhu to exercise all rights and powers granted by the powers of attorney described above.
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Acknowledgement Letter to Champion Technology, dated March 25, 2008. Pursuant to this acknowledgement letter, the
shareholders of Beijing Champion acknowledged that their contribution of RMB3.2 million ($0.5 million) to the registered capital of
Beijing Champion prior to May 1, 2004 is subject to the equity pledge agreements described above.
Acknowledgement Letter to CDEL Cayman, dated March 25, 2008. Pursuant to this acknowledgement letter, the shareholders of
Beijing Champion acknowledged their contribution of $0.5 million (equivalent to RMB3.2 million) to CDEL Hong Kong in May
2004 is subject to the equity pledge agreements described above.
Tri-party Agreements re VIE Structure, dated January 30, 2013. To secure the performance of the obligations under the powers
of attorney and the letters of undertaking described above, Champion Technology, Mr. Zhu, Ms. Yin and Beijing Champion entered
into the tri-party agreements re VIE structure, pursuant to which Champion Technology has the right to request Mr. Zhu or Ms. Yin
to unconditionally transfer his or her entire equity interests in Beijing Champion to Champion Technology or its designated third
party within a certain period of time required by Champion Technology if Mr. Zhu or Ms. Yin breaches any provision of the power of
attorney or the letter of undertaking. In addition, Champion Technology may also request Mr. Zhu or Ms. Yin to provide sufficient
security to the satisfaction of Champion Technology and enter into a security agreement proposed by Champion Technology within a
certain period of time required by Champion Technology if Champion Technology determines in its discretion that Mr. Zhu or
Ms. Yin violates any provision of the powers of attorney or the letters of undertaking. If Mr. Zhu or Ms. Yin breaches this agreement,
he or she shall compensate Champion Technology for any and all economic losses directly or indirectly arising from his or her breach
of this agreement, the powers of attorney and the letters of undertaking.
Spousal Consent Letters, dated January 30, 2013. The spouse of each shareholder of Beijing Champion (i.e. Mr. Zhu and
Ms. Yin) has entered into a spousal consent letter to acknowledge that he or she consents to the disposition of the equity interests held
by his or her spouse in Beijing Champion in accordance with the exclusive purchase rights agreement, the letter of undertaking, the
power of attorney, the equity pledge agreement and the tri-party agreements regarding VIE structure described above, and any other
supplemental agreement(s) may be consented by his or her spouse from time to time. Each such spouse further agrees that he or she
will not take any action or raise any claim to interfere with the arrangements contemplated under the above mentioned agreements. In
addition, each such spouse further acknowledges that any right or interest in the equity interests held by his or her spouse in Beijing
Champion do not constitute property jointly owned with his or her spouse and each such spouse unconditionally and irrevocably
waives any right or interest in such equity interests.
Deed of Undertaking from Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong Yin to our Company, dated September 26, 2013. Pursuant to
this deed, Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong Yin irrevocably covenanted and undertaking to our company to abstain from
(1) utilizing their status as majority shareholders of our company to vote for the appointment or removal of a director of our company
and (2) any matters related to the Deed. This deed was terminated automatically upon the completion of our follow-on public offering
on March 11, 2014 as Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin no longer owned a majority of our outstanding ordinary shares after the follow-on public
offering.
Exclusive Option Agreement, dated December 28, 2015. Pursuant to the exclusive option agreement entered into among
Zhongxi Healthcare Education, Champion Healthcare Education and its shareholders, Zhongxi Healthcare Education or any third-
party designated by it has the right to acquire, in whole or in part, the respective equity interests in Champion Healthcare Education of
its shareholders when permitted by applicable PRC laws and regulations. This agreement will remain effective until the entire equity
interests in Champion Healthcare Education are transferred to Zhongxi Healthcare Education.
Powers of Attorney, dated December 28, 2015. Pursuant to these powers of attorney, each shareholder of Champion Healthcare
Education authorized Zhongxi Healthcare Education or any person it designates to (i) exercise all voting powers that such shareholder
enjoys under the laws and the articles of association of Champion Healthcare Education, including the sale, transfer or pledge, in
whole or in part, of such shareholder’s equity interests in Champion Healthcare Education; (ii) nominate and appoint, on behalf of
such shareholder, the legal representative, directors, supervisors, general manager, and other senior management of Champion
Healthcare Education; (iii) execute the share transfer agreement as contemplated by the exclusive option agreement described above,
and perform the equity pledge agreement and the exclusive option agreement described above; and (iv) authorize any third party to
carry out any of the above actions. In addition, the shareholders undertook to refrain from exercising any of the abovementioned
rights.
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Spouse Consent Letters, dated December 28, 2015. The spouse of each shareholder of Champion Healthcare Education (i.e.
Mr. Zhu and Ms. Yin) has entered into a spouse consent letter to acknowledge that he or she consents to the disposition of the equity
interests held by his or her spouse in Champion Healthcare Education in accordance with the exclusive option agreement, the power
of attorney and the equity pledge agreement described above, and any other supplemental agreement(s) may be consented by his or
her spouse from time to time. Each such spouse further agrees that he or she will not take any action or raise any claim to interfere
with the arrangements contemplated under the above mentioned agreements. In addition, each such spouse further acknowledges that
any right or interest in the equity interests held by his or her spouse in Champion Healthcare Education do not constitute property
jointly owned with his or her spouse and each such spouse unconditionally and irrevocably waives any right or interest in such equity
interests.
Tri-party Agreement re VIE Structure, dated December 28, 2015. To secure the performance of the obligations under the powers
of attorney and the letter of undertaking described above, Zhongxi Healthcare Education, Mr. Zhu, Ms. Yin and Champion
Healthcare Education entered into the tri-party agreement re VIE Structure, pursuant to which Zhongxi Healthcare Education has the
right to request Mr. Zhu or Ms. Yin to unconditionally transfer his or her entire equity interests in Champion Healthcare Education to
Zhongxi Healthcare Education or its designated third party within a certain period of time required by Zhongxi Healthcare Education
if Mr. Zhu or Ms. Yin breaches any provision of the power of attorney or the letter of undertaking. In addition, Zhongxi Healthcare
Education may also request Mr. Zhu or Ms. Yin to provide satisfactory and full guarantee to the satisfaction of Zhongxi Healthcare
Education and enter into a relevant guarantee contract proposed by Zhongxi Healthcare Education within a certain period of time
required by Zhongxi Healthcare Education if Zhongxi Healthcare Education determines in its discretion that Mr. Zhu or Ms. Yin
violates any provision of the powers of attorney or the letter of undertaking. If Mr. Zhu or Ms. Yin breaches this agreement, he or she
shall compensate Zhongxi Healthcare Education for any and all economic losses directly or indirectly arising from his or her breach
of this agreement, the powers of attorney and the letter of undertaking.
Other agreements among our subsidiaries and the controlled affiliates
Courseware License Agreement, dated August 1, 2004. Pursuant to this agreement, Beijing Champion granted Champion
Technology an exclusive license to use specific distance education and training courseware owned by Beijing Champion without
charge. Under this agreement, Champion Technology is granted the rights to use the courseware for the duration of its operating
period.
Letter of Undertaking from Champion Technology to Beijing Champion, dated February 13, 2008. Pursuant to this letter,
Champion Technology confirmed its obligation to provide financial support to Beijing Champion if Beijing Champion suffers any
financial loss.
Letter of Undertaking from Zhongxi Healthcare Education to Champion Healthcare Education, dated December 28, 2015.
Pursuant to this letter, Zhongxi Healthcare Education confirmed its obligation to provide financial support to Champion Healthcare
Education if Champion Healthcare Education suffers any financial loss or critical operation adversity.
D. Property, Plants and Equipment
Our principal executive offices are located in approximately 2,495 square meters of office space on the 18th floor, Xueyuan
International Tower, No. 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, China. We also own approximately 355 square meters
of office space in Hangzhou, China. We also lease approximately 7,500 square meters of office space at the Xueyuan International
Tower and 6,000 square meters of office and staff quarter space at various locations of China, Hong Kong and United States. We
believe that, if needed, additional space can be obtained on commercially reasonable terms to meet our future requirements.
ITEM 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not applicable.
ITEM 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS
The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon and should be read in conjunction
with our consolidated financial statements and their related notes included in this annual report on Form 20-F. This report contains
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. See “Introduction — Forward Looking Statements.” In evaluating our business, you should carefully consider
the information provided under “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors.” We caution you that our business and financial
performance are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties.
60
A. Operating Results
Overview
We believe that we are the largest provider of online education in China primarily focusing on professional education, as
measured by total number of course enrollments in 2015. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, we had course enrollments of
3.3 million. As of September 30, 2015, our content library encompassed 234 course offerings, approximately 5,900 classes, and close
to 24,000 hours of audio-video content across 13 subject areas. We believe our course participants are attracted to our high-quality,
results-oriented courses, our students’ superior learning experience empowered and supported by our robust, comprehensive and
easy-to-use proprietary online Learning Management System that can be accessed via both PC and mobile devices, and our
comprehensive learning support and services. We believe these attributes result in better performance for our test preparation courses,
as measured by higher than national average exam passage rates, and will help us further expand our leadership position in the online
professional education market.
We focus our online professional education services in three high-growth industries: accounting, healthcare and engineering &
construction. In addition, we also offer other professional education courses, such as the national judicial examination, online test-
preparation courses for self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees, test preparation courses for university
students intending to take the nationwide graduate school entrance exam, and online language courses. We also offer third-party
developed online courses through our Online Open Learning Platform, a proprietary education platform that allows people to share
their educational content and deliver live courses online. In May 2015 we launched our College Cooperation Program which enables
us to expand our industry-leading accounting educational content and services to college and university students, in partnership with
colleges and universities. As of September 30, 2015, we operated 18 websites, including our main website www.cdeledu.com and 17
other websites, each dedicated to a specific industry, profession or discipline. Our online education courses accounted for 82.1%,
82.9% and 82.0% of our net revenues in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. In addition to
traditional online courses, we also offer certain fee-based, mobile accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction and legal
courses through an app available on Android and Apple iOS tablets and smart phones. Furthermore, we also sell books and reference
materials, offer offline business start-up training courses and offline accounting and healthcare professional training, and provide
courseware production services and platform production services for certain customers.
To comply with PRC law, we have adopted a corporate structure whereby we operate our business through a series of
contractual arrangements with Beijing Champion and Champion Healthcare Education, each a PRC entity owned by Mr. Zhengdong
Zhu, our co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer, and his wife, Ms. Baohong Yin, our co-founder and deputy chairman. As a
result, we do not enjoy direct equity ownership of Beijing Champion or Champion Healthcare Education, our primary consolidated
operating companies. However, through these contractual arrangements, we effectively control Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries
and Champion Healthcare Education and, therefore, consolidate their financial results in our consolidated financial statements, and
thus references to “we,” “us,” “our company” and “our” refer not only to China Distance Education Holdings Limited and its
subsidiaries, but also to Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries and Champion Healthcare Education as the context requires. For a
more detailed discussion of these contractual arrangements, see “Item 4.C. Information on the Company — Organizational
Structure,” and for a detailed description of the regulatory environment for Internet-based businesses in China that necessitates our
adoption of this structure, see “Item 4.B. Information on the Company — Business Overview — Regulations.” In addition, for a
detailed description of the risks associated with our corporate structure and these contractual arrangements that support our corporate
structure, see “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure and Restrictions on Our
Industry.”
Our net revenues were $71.4 million, $97.2 million and $108.2 million in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and
2015, respectively. We had net income of $13.6 million, $23.4 million and $24.6 million in the fiscal years ended September 30,
2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Our total course enrollments were 2,700,000, 3,238,000 and 3,332,000 for the fiscal years ended
September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
General Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations
We have benefited significantly from overall economic growth and the expansion of the education market in China. Economic
growth and increasing domestic consumption in China have contributed to a significant increase in spending on education.
Furthermore, growth in China’s professional services sector is driving demand for qualified talent in China, particularly in the areas
of accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction and financial services. We have also benefited from increasing Internet and
broadband penetration rates in China, which have increased the accessibility of online education and training courses as an effective
and convenient way for people to meet their educational and career development needs.
61
Our results of operations may be affected by changes to the professional requirements applicable to the various fields covered
by our courses. They may also be affected by changes in the timing, content and difficulty, or perceived difficulty, of exams covered
by our courses, changes in continuing education requirements, changes in employment policy, cancellation of professional
qualifications and certificates, and changes in the government subsidy policy applicable to our business start-up training courses.
Exams covered by our courses may also, from time to time, be discontinued or postponed for reasons beyond our control, which may
impact our revenues in certain periods. See “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Business — Our
business could be adversely affected if there are changes in the perceived difficulty, requirements or formats of professional
examinations, courses and continuing education in China, or if certain professional qualifications and certificates are cancelled by the
government authorities.”, “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Business —Changes in the
government authorities’ subsidy policy with respect to our business start-up training courses could adversely affect our financial
condition and results of operations.” and “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Business — Our
financial performance and prospects could be affected by natural calamities or health epidemics.”
We have experienced and expect to continue to experience seasonality in revenues primarily due to seasonal changes in course
enrollments and the timing of various exams, which are typically offered annually. See “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors
— Risks Relating to Our Business — Our business is subject to seasonal fluctuations, which may cause our operating results to
fluctuate from quarter to quarter. This may result in volatility in and adversely affect the price of our ADSs.”
Specific Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations
Our results of operations in any given period are also directly affected by company-specific factors, including:
•
Number of enrollments in our courses. Our ability to generate and grow our net revenues is primarily affected by our
ability to increase the number of course enrollments. This in turn is driven by several factors, including government and
industry requirements for education and training in various professions, changes in exam schedules, recognition of our
brand and services, Internet and broadband penetration rate, and the perceived effectiveness of our education courses.
Government regulations requiring increased number of licensure and certification exams provide us with new market
opportunities to develop new courses and to attract potential exam participants as our customers. Changes in exam content
and knowledge requirements in certain industries and professions, and the increased difficulty, or perceived difficulty of
certain exams covered by our courses, may also contribute to growth in our course enrollments as more exam takers may
feel a stronger need to take exam preparation courses. Government policies encouraging business start-up training provide
us with new market opportunities to develop new courses and to attract potential course participants to take our courses.
We may also, from time to time, experience a decrease in course enrollments in certain course offerings if there is a perception
within the related industries or professions that certain exams have become less difficult, or the content more routine and
familiar, and as a result these exam takers may be less inclined to spend additional money on test preparation courses. Finally,
any government decisions to scale back, postpone or cancel certain exams, combine exams or adopt measures that might reduce
the number of exam participants may adversely impact our revenues. For example, the PRC State Council promulgated a
decision in August 2014, pursuant to which various professional qualifications or certificates, including the Registered Tax
Agent and Certified Asset Appraiser, were cancelled or replaced with a qualification evaluation system administered by the
State Council. In addition, the government authorities have tightened the employment policy of Associate Constructor and
Constructor in 2015. As a result, the number of our students enrollments and, therefore, revenues generated from our course
offerings for these professional qualifications or certificates for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 were adversely
affected. The revenue generated from RTA Qualification Exam, and Associate Constructor and Constructor Qualification
Exams decreased by 81.9% and 7.1%, respectively, in fiscal year 2015, compared to fiscal year 2014. We expect the
employment policy of Associate Constructor and Constructor will continue to adversely impact our enrollments and, therefore,
revenues in the near future.
•
Fees for our courses. Our net revenues are also affected by the amount of fees we charge for our courses, which depends
on the overall demand, the prices and availability of competing courses, perception of the quality and effectiveness of our
courses and the income levels that our course participants expect to achieve upon passing the related licensure and
certification exams. We may also experience pricing pressure as we expand our course offerings into new areas, or new
segments and exams within existing areas that we cover, in an effort to attract new course participants. Additionally, our
net revenues are affected by the percentage of discounts we provide to regional sales agents as our revenue from this
source is recorded net of discount. In addition, net revenues generated from our business start-up training course are
dependent on our ability to meet government stipulated conditions under their subsidy policies. Such stipulated conditions
include the passage rate of our course participants’ business proposals as evaluated by the relevant government authorities,
the business start-up rate and the employment rate of our business start-up course participants.
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•
•
Our ability to expand the range of courses and other services. Our ability to address market needs by expanding the range
of our course offerings and other services has a direct impact on our ability to maintain growth in our course enrollments.
Diversifying our sources of revenues also helps protect us from potential reduced student enrollment due to down-turns in
certain industries or professions. To date, our accounting courses remain the largest and most important of all our course
offerings in terms of revenue and number of course enrollments. Although we expect this to continue due to the
importance of professional requirements in the accounting industry, we will continue to expand our course offerings in
other areas to diversify and further grow our revenues. Over the past several years, we have developed our healthcare,
engineering & construction and legal course offerings and further enhanced the reputation of our business start-up training
courses.
Impact of business acquisitions. Our ability to successfully identify, execute, integrate and manage new alliances and
acquisitions can have a significant effect on our results of operations. We have pursued and may continue to pursue
strategic alliance and acquisition opportunities to increase our service offerings and expand our growth; however, such
strategic alliances and acquisitions may not generate the financial results we expect and may even result in losses.
Description of Key Line Items
Net Revenues
We derive net revenues from the sale of online education services, books and reference materials, and other related products and
services. Our net revenues are presented net of PRC business tax and related surcharges, as well as value-added taxes. The following
table sets forth a breakdown of our total net revenues for the periods indicated:
Net Revenues
Online education services
Books and reference materials
Others
Total net revenues
Online Education Services
2013
$
% of net
revenues
Year Ended September 30,
2014
$
% of net
revenues
(In thousands, except for percentages)
2015
$
% of net
revenues
58,573
5,129
7,658
71,360
82.9%
82.1% 80,545
6.6%
7.2% 6,392
10.7% 10,259
10.5%
100.0% 97,196 100.0%
88,657
6,873
12,647
108,177
82.0%
6.3%
11.7%
100.0%
We derive most of our revenues from the provision of online education services. Our online education services consist of online
professional education and test preparation courses, test preparation courses for self-taught learners pursuing higher education degrees
and test preparation courses for high school and college students preparing for various academic and college entrance exams,
continuing education and professional development courses, and language courses. Our professional training courses cover a wide
range of industries, including accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction and others.
Our online courses are available in the following course formats: regular class, premium class and elite class.
•
•
•
Our regular class provides participants basic services such as audio-video course content and tutoring services.
With our elite classes, course participants pay substantially higher course fees for more personalized and tailored course-
related services. After completing an elite class, if a participant fails to pass the relevant exam and certain pre-agreed
conditions are met, the course participant may elect to either receive a cash refund of the course fees paid or full credit
towards future courses provided by us.
With our premium classes, course participants enjoy high-quality premium course-related support services similar to the
elite class participants. However, premium course participants do not enjoy refund privileges. Instead, in general, if a
participant fails to pass the course examination and certain pre-agreed conditions are met, the course participant can retake
the same premium course by paying us discounted course fees for the following year or years.
To enroll in our courses, course participants may choose to purchase pre-paid study cards from our distributors or to pay us
through online or mobile payment using credit or debit cards via third-party payment networks, bank remittance, postage, or by cash
at our offices.
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Books and Reference Materials
We primarily sell our own proprietary learning materials relating to accounting professional courses and exams through third-
party bookstores and distributors across China and directly through our online bookstore and our offices in Beijing. The sale of books
and reference materials on topics related to our course subject matter complements our online course offerings, supplements the
learning experience of our course participants, helps build brand recognition and loyalty among our course participants, and promotes
our expertise and reputation in various professional fields. To promote our online courses, we also sell some of our books and
reference materials together with complementary study cards which allow course participants to take a certain number of online
courses for no additional charge.
Others
We derive other net revenues mainly from the provision of offline training courses, courseware production services, platform
production services, and consulting services.
Cost of Sales
Our cost of sales consists of cost of services and cost of tangible goods sold. The following table shows our cost of sales, gross
profit and gross margin for the periods indicated.
2013
$
For the Year Ended September 30,
2014
% of net
revenues
$
(In thousands of $, except for percentages)
$
% of net
revenues
2015
% of net
revenues
Net Revenues
Cost of sales:
Cost of services
Cost of tangible goods sold
Total cost of sales
Gross profit and gross margin 1
71,360
100.0%
97,196
100.0%
108,177
100.0%
(27,073)
(2,844)
(29,917)
41,443
(37.9)% (35,187)
(4.0)% (4,616)
(41.9)% (39,803)
57,393
58.1%
(36.2)%
(4.8)%
(41.0)%
59.0%
(41,043)
(3,300)
(44,343)
63,834
(37.9)%
(3.1)%
(41.0)%
59.0%
1 Gross profit is equal to net revenues less cost of sales. Gross margin is equal to gross profit divided by net revenues.
Cost of Services
Cost of services accounted for 37.9%, 36.2% and 37.9% of our net revenues in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014
and 2015, respectively. Cost of services are mainly composed of salaries and related expenses for our tutors, course and content
development, website maintenance and information technology technicians and other employees, fees paid to our course lecturers,
depreciation and amortization expenses, server management and bandwidth leasing fees paid to third-party providers, rental and
related expenses, and other miscellaneous expenses.
Fees paid to lecturers comprised a significant portion of our cost of services because we allocate significant resources to hiring
high-quality lecturers. The number of lecturers actively producing online courses for us was 385,341 and 365 in the fiscal years ended
September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Leveraging our online platform enables us to achieve greater economies of scale
than traditional offline programs that are limited by fixed teacher-student ratios as we are able to increase the number of course
participants without necessarily increasing the number of our lecturers. However, our fees paid to online lecturers as a percentage of
our net revenues from online education services increased in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, as compared to the fiscal year
ended September 30, 2014, mainly due to weakening revenue growth in our online education services. See “Item 5.A. Operating and
Financial Review and Prospects – Operating Results – Specific Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations “ for the impact of
cancellation of Registered Tax Agent qualification and tightening the employment policy of Associate Constructor and Constructor
on our revenues. Our fees paid to offline lecturers decreased in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, primarily due to stricter
control on the lecturer fees per class. As a result, our fees paid to lecturers as a percentage of our net revenues decreased slightly in
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, as compared to the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014.
64
Our tutors, course and content development, website maintenance and information technology technicians and other employees
also play a critical role in our course development and delivery. We maintain a large, well-trained pool of tutors to answer questions
from course participants submitted through our online question and answer board, usually within a 24-hour time period. Our tutors
numbered 323 (including 111 part-time tutors), 292 (including 56 part-time tutors) and 356 (including 80 part-time tutors) as of
September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. In addition, we allocate sizable resources to retain course production technicians
capable of creating high quality high-definition audio-video course materials and other interactive features for our online courses. The
number of our course production technicians was 60, 52 and 59 as of September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. We also have
a sizable pool of information technology technicians capable of developing a reliable, scalable and secure online platform and
technology infrastructure to support our services. The number of our information technology technicians was 64, 107 and 130 as of
September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. To date, salaries and related expenses constitute a large portion of our cost of
services.
Cost of Tangible Goods Sold
Book sale costs primarily comprise printing fees for our proprietary books and reference materials and royalties paid to contributing
authors. Book sale costs also include royalties paid to Becker for study materials of the American Institute of CPAs examination.
Operating Expenses
Our operating expenses consist of selling expenses, and general and administrative expenses.
Selling Expenses
Selling expenses accounted for 22.0%, 22.1% and 22.4% of our net revenues in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014
and 2015, respectively. Our selling expenses consist primarily of salaries and related expenses of our customer service staff and sales
and marketing staff, commissions paid to our agents, advertising and promotion expenses, rental and related expenses, freight and
delivery expenses related to our books and reference materials and promotional materials, and other selling expenses. The salaries of
our customer service staff were significant as we maintained the number of our customer service staff at a high level to serve a greater
number of course participants and other customers, and to generate sales through our direct sales efforts. The salaries of our sales and
marketing staff were also significant as we increased the number of our sales and marketing staff to promote our business.
General and Administrative Expenses
Our general and administrative expenses accounted for 13.7%, 12.0% and 12.2% of our net revenues in the fiscal years ended
September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Our general and administrative expenses consist primarily of administrative staff
compensation and benefits, professional fees, depreciation and amortization, rental and related expenses, share-based compensation
expenses and other miscellaneous expenses. Staff benefits include pension, medical insurance, unemployment insurance, work-
related injury insurance and housing subsidies. Other miscellaneous expenses include travel, office, communication and
entertainment expenses.
Taxation
We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands. Under the current law of the Cayman Islands, we are not subject to income or
capital gains tax. In addition, dividend payments are not subject to withholding tax in the Cayman Islands. However, there is a risk
that we may be treated as resident in the PRC for tax purposes. See “Risk Factors — General Risks Relating to Conducting Business
in China — Under China’s EIT Law, we may be classified as a ‘resident enterprise’ of China. Such classification could result in
unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders.”
CDEL Hong Kong is incorporated in Hong Kong and provides accounting professional training and educational consulting
services. No provision for Hong Kong profits tax has been made as CDEL Hong Kong has no assessable profits in Hong Kong in the
fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015. In addition, no Hong Kong withholding tax will be imposed on any payments
of dividends distributed by CDEL Hong Kong to us.
PENCIL is incorporated in Hong Kong as a wholly-owned subsidiary of CDEL Hong Kong. PENCIL has not conducted any
substantive operations since its inception. No provision for Hong Kong profits tax has been made as PENCIL has no assessable
profits in Hong Kong in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015. In addition, no Hong Kong withholding tax will
be imposed on any payments of dividends distributed by PENCIL to us through CDEL Hong Kong.
65
DL Education is incorporated in the United States as our wholly owned subsidiary. DL Education has not conducted any
substantive operations since its inception. No provision for tax has been made as DL Education has no assessable profits in the United
States in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
China Healthcare Investment is incorporated in the British Virgin islands as a wholly-owned subsidiary of CDEL. Under the
current law of the British Virgin Islands, China Healthcare Investment is not subject to income or capital gains tax.
China Healthcare Education is incorporated in Hong Kong as a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Healthcare Investment. China
Healthcare Education has not conducted any substantive operations since its inception. No provision for Hong Kong profits tax has
been made as China Healthcare Education has no assessable profits in Hong Kong in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015.
Enterprise Income Tax
The current and deferred components of the income tax expense appearing in our consolidated statements of operations are as
follows:
Current tax expense
Deferred tax expense
Years ended September 30,
2015
2013
$
2014
$
$
(in thousands)
3,988
64
4,052
3,107
690
3,797
4,798
1,076
5,874
Champion Technology, Beijing Champion and Zhengbao Yucai obtained preferential tax treatments as “high and new
technology enterprises” under EIT Law that resulted in lower tax rates. Champion Technology was and will be subject to the tax rate
of 15% from 2010 through 2016, Beijing Champion was and will be subject to the tax rate of 15% from 2008 through 2016 and
Zhengbao Yucai was, and will be subject to the tax rate of 15% from 2012 through 2017. Our other PRC entities are subject to
standard income tax rate of 25% from 2013 through 2015. See “Risk Factors — General Risks Relating to Conducting Business in
China — The discontinuation of any of the preferential tax treatments currently available to our PRC subsidiaries, Champion
Technology and Zhengbao Yucai, and affiliated entity, Beijing Champion, could materially increase our tax liabilities.”
Our PRC subsidiaries’ earnings generated before 2008 that were available for distribution and were not subject to any PRC
dividend withholding taxes amounted to $6.7 million. We distributed such earnings in December 2012. For our PRC subsidiaries’
earnings generated after 2008 that were available for distribution, provisions of $0.3 million, $0.4 million and $0.5 million have been
made in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively, for the PRC dividend withholding taxes with respect
to the distribution of these earnings to CDEL Hong Kong. See “Risk Factors — General Risks Relating to Conducting Business in
China — We may not be able to obtain certain treaty benefits on dividends paid to us by our PRC subsidiaries through our Hong
Kong Subsidiaries.”
Under the EIT Law, an enterprise established outside of the PRC with “de facto management bodies” within the PRC is
considered a PRC resident enterprise and will be subject to the enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on its global income. The
implementation rules define the term “de facto management bodies” as establishments that carry out substantial and overall
management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel, accounting, properties, etc. of an enterprise. The
SAT issued the Notice Regarding the Determination of Chinese-Controlled Offshore Incorporated Enterprises as PRC Tax Resident
Enterprises on the Basis of De Facto Management Bodies, or Circular 82, on April 22, 2009. Circular 82 provides certain specific
criteria for determining whether the “de facto management body” of a Chinese-controlled offshore-incorporated enterprise is located
in China. In addition, the SAT issued a bulletin on August 3, 2011, effective September 1, 2011, providing more guidance on the
implementation of Circular 82. This bulletin clarifies matters including residence status determination, post-determination
administration and competent tax authorities. Although both Circular 82 and the bulletin only apply to offshore enterprises controlled
by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups and not those controlled by PRC individuals or foreign corporations, the determination
criteria set forth in Circular 82 and the bulletin may reflect the SAT’s general position on how the “de facto management body” test
should be applied in determining the tax residency status of offshore enterprises and how the administration measures should be
implemented with respect to such enterprises, regardless of whether they are controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC individuals.
Although we do not believe that our legal entities organized outside of the PRC constitute PRC resident enterprises, it is possible that
the PRC tax authorities could reach a different conclusion. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Doing Business in China — Under
the PRC enterprise income tax law, we may be classified as a PRC ‘resident enterprise’, which could result in unfavorable tax
consequences to us and our shareholders and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your
investment.”
66
Business Tax, Value-Added Tax and Related Surcharges
We are mainly subject to 3.36% business tax and related surcharges on the revenues earned from provision of education
services, which are recognized net of all business tax and related surcharges. The business tax and related surcharges net against
revenues for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015 are approximately $2.3 million, $3.1 million and $3.3 million,
respectively.
On January 1, 2012, MOF and SAT officially launched a pilot value-added tax (“VAT”) reform program (“Pilot Program”),
applicable to businesses in selected industries. Enterprises engaged in such selected industries in the Pilot Program would pay VAT in
lieu of business tax. The Pilot Program initially applied only to transportation industry and “modern service industries” (“Pilot
Industries”) in Shanghai and subsequently was expanded to more than ten other provinces and municipalities from August to
December 2012. As a result, technical and consulting services, software licensing and course production services provided by
Champion Technology and Champion Education Technology and course production services provided by Champion Wangge were
no longer subject to 5.6% business tax and related surcharges but VAT and related surcharges instead, from September 1, 2012 and
July 1, 2014, respectively. The applicable tax rate of VAT and related surcharges are 3.36% and 6.72% for a small-scale taxpayer and
a general taxpayer, respectively.
Champion Technology is a VAT general taxpayer. Champion Education Technology was a VAT small-scale taxpayer but has
been treated as a general taxpayer since February 1, 2014. Champion Wangge was a VAT small-scale taxpayer but has been treated
as a VAT general taxpayer since January 1, 2015. We are required to remit the VAT we collected to the tax authority. Entities that are
VAT general taxpayers are allowed to offset qualified input VAT paid to suppliers against their output VAT liabilities. Net VAT
balance between input VAT and output VAT is recorded in the line item of accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the
consolidated balance sheets.
In addition, in accordance with the relevant tax laws in the PRC, VAT is also calculated based on the sales value of books and
reference materials and is payable by the purchaser. Revenues are recognized net of all VAT imposed by governmental authorities
and collected from customers concurrent with revenue generated transactions. Pursuant to a circular jointly issued by MOF and SAT
on December 25, 2013, the proceeds received from customers for sales related to books and reference materials are exempt from
VAT from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2017. As a result, Beijing Champion started to enjoy this tax exemption from
March 2014 upon the filing of tax exemption application to the state tax bureau. Such VAT exemption is also applicable to one of our
newly established entities, Champion Culture from January 2016. VAT related to sales of our books and reference materials
amounted to approximately $1.0 million, $0.5 million and $nil for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015,
respectively.
Critical Accounting Policies
We prepare our consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP, which requires us to make judgments,
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of our assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
on the date of each set of consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during each financial
reporting period. We continually evaluate these estimates and assumptions based on the most recently available information, our own
historical experience and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Since the use of
estimates is an integral component of the financial reporting process, actual results could differ from those estimates as a result of
changes in our estimates or changes in the facts or circumstances underlying our estimates and assumptions.
An accounting policy is considered to be critical if it requires an accounting estimate to be made based on assumptions about
matters that are highly uncertain at the time such estimate is made, and if different accounting estimates that reasonably could have
been used, or changes in the accounting estimates that are reasonably likely to occur periodically, could materially impact the
consolidated financial statements. Some of our accounting policies require higher degrees of judgment than others in their
application. We consider the policies discussed below to be critical to an understanding of our consolidated financial statements as
their application places the most significant demands on our judgment. When reviewing our consolidated financial statements, you
should take into account:
•
•
•
•
our critical accounting policies discussed below;
the related judgments made by us and other uncertainties affecting the application of these policies;
the sensitivity of our reported results to changes in prevailing facts and circumstances and our related estimates and
assumptions; and
the risks and uncertainties described under “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors.”
67
See Note 2 to our audited consolidated financial statements included in this annual report for additional information regarding
our significant accounting policies.
Revenue Recognition
We recognize revenues from our services and sales of products when the following four criteria are met: (i) persuasive evidence
of an arrangement exists, (ii) the service has been rendered, (iii) the fees are fixed or determinable, and (iv) collectability is
reasonably assured.
Online education services. We generate most of our revenues from online education services provided to course participants
pursuant to two types of revenue models — a non-refundable course model and a refundable course model.
The online courses using the non-refundable course model are mainly comprised of regular classes and premium classes. The
revenues for the regular classes are recognized on a straight line basis over the subscription period from the month in which the
course participant enrolls in the course to the month in which subscribed course terminates. For premium classes, if the course
participant fails to pass the course examination and certain pre-agreed conditions are met, the participant can retake the same
premium course by paying us discounted course fees for the following year or years. As such, the discount is proportionately applied
as a deduction to revenue recognized for each of the premium classes that the course participants take.
For online courses using the refundable course model (i.e. elite classes), if the course participant fails the professional exam and
certain pre-agreed conditions are met, the course participant is entitled to either a full refund or the right to retake the course.
Proceeds from the refundable course model are initially recorded as “refundable fees.” Revenues are recognized upon the expiration
of the course participants’ right to receive a refund or ratably over the course period if the participant decides to retake the course
before the expiration of such right.
We offer volume discounts to our regional distributors for purchases over a specified amount of prepaid cards during a specified
period of time, generally one year. The after-discount prices of the study cards paid by the regional distributors to us are recognized
as deferred revenue. Because we cannot reasonably estimate the amount of future rebates relating to these volume discounts, we
record a deferred revenue balance for the maximum potential amount of the volume discount. If the number of purchases specified in
the volume discount provisions is not reached upon the expiration of the volume discount period, we then either recognize the
deferred revenue relating to such volume discount for each study card over the remaining period that the online course is available to
users who enroll using the study card or immediately if the related online course has been completed. Additionally, we recognize
proceeds allocated to the study cards that have never been activated for course enrollment as revenues upon their expiration. We also
provide student enrollment services and our online platform to government agencies that conduct continuing education services
through our websites. We earn service fees as a percentage of total tuition fees based on the agreements entered into with the
government agencies. Service fees received are initially recorded as deferred revenue and are recognized as revenue when course
participants complete the stipulated study hours and take their examinations, or on a straight line basis over the subscription period
based on terms of the agreements.
We also operate an Online Open Learning Platform, a proprietary education platform that allows other parties to share their
educational content or deliver live courses online. After passing our quality control reviews, experts and scholars of various fields can
either record their own lectures and post them on our Open Learning Platform website, or deliver real-time audio-video courses. We
offer coaching services to these lecturers and deploy a user evaluation system to ensure that these courses meet its quality and
effectiveness standards. We pay the experts and scholars a certain percentage of the service fee we received from the end users.
Revenues from Open Learning Platform are recognized on gross basis as we are the primary obligor in the arrangement and bear the
risks and rewards, including the quality control and the services delivered.
Books and reference materials. We sell books and reference materials to end users directly or through distributors. Revenues
relating to such sales are deferred until cash is collected. Inventory costs of products delivered to distributors for which revenues have
been deferred are presented as “deferred costs” on the consolidated balance sheets.
We also sell books and reference materials together with study cards, which allows course participants to take a certain number
of online courses at no additional charge. These sales are considered arrangements with two deliverables, consisting of the delivery of
books and reference materials and the online education services.
68
As neither vendor-specific objective evidence nor third-party evidence of fair value of the deliverables exist due to the
significant variability in the prices charged, we allocate revenues to each deliverable based on their relative selling prices. We
determine the best estimate of selling price by applying the same pricing policies and methodologies that would be used to determine
the price to sell the deliverable on a standalone basis.
Others. We derive other revenue mainly from provision of offline professional training, courseware production services,
platform production services, and others.
The offline professional training mainly includes two businesses: (1) accounting and healthcare professional training for
accounting firms and the general public, and (2) the business start-up training service. We recognize revenues for accounting and
healthcare professional training when the training courses are provided. For the business start-up training service, the tuition fees of
the training participants are subsidized by the government. Since qualified enrollments and the fees to be earned cannot be determined
until we have received confirmation from government agencies regarding such figures after the completion of services, we recognize
the revenue upon cash receipt or the receipt of confirmation from government agencies, whichever is earlier, when all the other
revenue recognition criteria have been met.
We recognize revenues from sales of courseware or platforms, which are designed and developed pursuant to the requests
from customers, when the courseware or platforms are accepted by the customers. We have no significant remaining obligation with
respect to the courseware or platforms upon the acceptance of the customers.
Long-Lived Assets — Property, Plant and Equipment and Intangible Assets
Judgment is required to determine the estimated useful lives of our long-lived assets. Changes in these estimates and
assumptions could materially impact our financial position and results of operations.
We review our long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount
of an asset may no longer be recoverable. When these events occur, we measure impairment by comparing the carrying value of the
long-lived assets to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the assets and their eventual
disposition. If the sum of the expected undiscounted cash flow is less than the carrying amount of the assets, we would recognize an
impairment loss based on the fair value of the assets.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the cost of an acquired business in excess of the fair value of identifiable tangible and intangible net assets
purchased. We assign all the assets and liabilities of an acquired business, including goodwill, to reporting units. As of September 30,
2015, we had two reporting units: online education service and business start-up training service. We perform our goodwill
impairment test on September 30th of each year. Impairment is tested using a two-step process. The first step compares the fair value
of each reporting unit to its carrying amount, including goodwill.
If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill is not considered to be impaired and the second step
will not be required. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step compares the implied fair value
of goodwill to the carrying value of a reporting unit’s goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined in a manner similar
to accounting for a business combination with the allocation of the assessed fair value determined in the first step to the assets and
liabilities of the reporting unit. The excess of the fair value of the reporting unit over the amounts assigned to the assets and liabilities
is the implied fair value of goodwill. An impairment loss is recognized for any excess in the carrying value of goodwill over the
implied fair value of goodwill. Estimating fair value is performed by utilizing various valuation techniques.
The following table sets forth the details of goodwill impairment test as of September 30, 2015:
Estimated fair value
Carrying value net
Percentage by which the fair value exceed the
carrying value
Online
education service
Business
start-up
training service
(in thousands of $)
Total
223,330
83,374
8,039
7,435
231,369
90,809
167.9%
8.1%
69
Because the fair values of each of the two reporting units exceed their carrying amounts, no second step of goodwill impairment
test was performed.
In determining the fair values of our reporting units as of September 30, 2015, we considered the discounted cash flow method,
or DCF, of the income approach to be more reliable than other approaches. The discounted cash flow for each reporting unit was
projected based on financial forecast developed by management for planning purposes. Cash flows beyond the forecast periods were
estimated using a terminal value calculation, which incorporated historical and forecasted financial trends for each reporting unit.
Specifically, the income approach valuation included a cash flow discount rate at 17%– 22.5% and a terminal value growth rate at
3%. Publicly available information regarding our market capitalization was also considered in assessing the reasonableness of the
aggregate fair value of all the reporting units estimated using the income approach valuation methodology. Based on the result of
goodwill impairment test as of September 30, 2015, no impairment of goodwill was identified for the reporting units of online
education service and business start-up training service.
The valuations are based on information available as of the impairment review date and are based on expectations and
assumptions that have been deemed reasonable by the management. Any changes in key assumptions, including unanticipated events
and circumstances, may affect the accuracy or validity of such estimates and could potentially result in impairment charge.
Income taxes
We follow the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are
determined based on the difference between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates that
will be in effect in the period in which the differences are expected to reverse. The tax base of an asset or liability is the amount
attributed to that asset or liability for tax purposes. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized in our income
statement in the period that includes the enactment date. We consider current tax laws and our interpretation of them when we make
our judgments, assumptions and estimates relative to current provision for income tax. We also assess a valuation allowance to offset
deferred tax assets if based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion, or all, of the deferred tax
assets will not be realized. Such evidence includes our estimates of future taxable income and tax planning strategies. Changes in
relevant tax laws, and our judgments, assumptions and estimates relative to current provision for income tax could have resulted in
material differences in the amount of income taxes provided in our consolidated financial statements.
Effective October 1, 2007, we adopted the recognition and measurement methods under the authoritative interpretation
regarding the accounting and disclosure for uncertainty in tax positions. The guidance requires that we recognize the impact of a tax
position in the financial statements if that position is more likely than not of being sustained upon audit by the tax authority, based on
the technical merits of the position. The amount recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is more likely than not of
being realized upon ultimate settlement. Based on this assessment, as of September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively, we have
recognized an approximately $0.2 million, $0.2 million and $0.2 million accrual for unrecognized tax benefits which is included in
the account of “accrued expenses and other liabilities”. The final outcome of the tax uncertainty is dependent upon various matters
including tax examinations, interpretation of tax laws or expiration of statutes of limitation. We recognize, if any, interest related to
unrecognized tax benefit in interest expense and penalties in other expenses. Changes in relevant tax laws, and our judgments,
assumptions and estimates relative to current provision for income tax could have resulted in material differences in the amount of
income taxes provided in our consolidated financial statements.
Uncertainties exist with respect to how PRC’s EIT Law applies to our overall operations, and more specifically, with regard to
our tax residency status. The EIT Law includes a provision specifying that legal entities organized outside of the PRC will be
considered residents for PRC enterprise income tax purposes if their place of effective management or control is within the PRC. The
implementation rules to the EIT Law provide that non-resident legal entities will be considered PRC residents if substantial and
overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel, accounting, properties, among others,
occur within the PRC. Despite the present uncertainties resulting from the limited PRC tax guidance on the issue, we do not believe
that our legal entities organized outside of the PRC should be treated as residents for the EIT Law’s purposes. If one or more of our
legal entities organized outside of the PRC were characterized as PRC tax residents, the impact would adversely affect our results of
operation. See “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — General Risks Relating to Conducting Business in China — Under
China’s EIT Law, we may be classified as a “resident enterprise” of China. Such classification could result in unfavorable tax
consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders.”
70
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
We regularly evaluate the collectability of our accounts receivable. We maintain allowances for doubtful accounts when we
believe there is a risk to the collectability of accounts receivable. An allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded in the period in
which a loss is determined to be probable based on an assessment of specific evidence indicating doubtful collection, historical
experience, account balance aging and prevailing economic conditions. Actual collections of the accounts receivable could differ
significantly from the original estimates.
Share-based Compensation Expenses
Share-based payment transactions with employees, officers and non-executive directors are measured based on the grant-date
fair value of the equity instrument issued and recognized as compensation expense over the requisite service period, with a
corresponding addition to paid-in capital. We recognize compensation expense over the vesting term on a straight-line basis with the
amount of compensation expense recognized during any period not less than the portion of the grant-date value of the option vested
during that period.
Share-based payment transactions with non-employees are measured based on the fair value at the earlier of the commitment
date or the date at which the non-employee’s performance is complete. We recognize compensation expense using the graded vesting
attribution method.
The total incremental compensation expense resulting from the modifications of the exercise price and vesting period of all
outstanding share options under the Prior Plan is recognized over the remaining requisite service period for such employees, officers
and non-employees, respectively. In addition, the unamortized compensation expense resulting from the cancellation of share options
under the New Plan is recognized as an expense upon cancellation.
We estimated the fair value of each option award granted to employees, officers and non-employees under the Prior Plan and the
fair value of each option award granted to non-executive directors, officers and employees under the New Plan using relevant and
appropriate Option Pricing Model. We use the quoted market price of our ADS at each measurement date to measure the fair value of
nonvested restricted shares we granted to directors and officers.
We did not grant option award to employees, officers, non-employees and non-executive directors during the years ended
September 30, 2013 and 2014, respectively. On November 18, 2014, we had granted options for the purchase of a total of 2,800,000
ordinary shares to employees under the New Plan at $3.7425 per share based on the closing price of our ADSs on NYSE on
November 18, 2014.
We estimated the fair value of option award granted on November 18, 2014 using Binomial Option Pricing Model. The
volatility assumption was estimated based on the price volatility of the shares of education companies that are publicly traded on
securities markets in the United States and selected by us as guideline companies because we did not have sufficient historical data to
calculate expected volatility of the price of the underlying ordinary shares over the life of the options. The risk-free rate was based on
the market yield of US Treasury Bonds with maturity terms equal to the life of the option awards.
We estimated forfeitures at the time of grant based on our historical experiences and record share-based compensation expenses
only for those awards that are expected to vest. Changes in estimated forfeitures will be recognized through a cumulative catch-up
adjustment in the period of change and will also impact the amount of share-based compensation expense to be recognized in future
periods.
71
Consolidation of Variable Interest Entity
We conduct substantially all of our education business through Beijing Champion, our variable interest entity, and Beijing
Champion’s subsidiaries. We have entered into contractual arrangements with Beijing Champion and its shareholders such that
Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries are considered variable interest entities for which we are considered their primary beneficiary.
We believe that the powers of attorney are valid, binding and enforceable under existing PRC laws and regulations and enable our
subsidiary, Champion Technology, to vote on all matters requiring the shareholder approval of Beijing Champion. We also believe
that the exclusive purchase right agreements provide us with a substantive kick out right. More specifically, we believe that the terms
of the exclusive purchase right agreements and exclusive option agreement are currently exercisable and legally enforceable under
current PRC laws and regulations, and believe that the minimum amount of consideration permitted by the applicable PRC law to
exercise the exclusive purchase right does not represent a financial barrier or disincentive for us to currently exercise our rights under
the exclusive purchase right agreements. Our rights under the powers of attorney and the exclusive purchase right agreements give us
the power to control the shareholders of Beijing Champion and thus the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact
Beijing Champion economic performance. We believe that our ability to exercise control, together with the technical support and
consultancy service agreement and the equity pledge agreements, give us the rights to receive substantially all of the economic
benefits from Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries in consideration for the services provided by Champion Technology.
Accordingly, as the primary beneficiary of Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries and in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we consolidate
Beijing Champion financial results, and assets and liabilities in our consolidated financial statements.
As advised by Jingtian & Gongcheng, our PRC counsel, our corporate structure in China complies with all existing PRC laws
and regulations. However, our PRC counsel has also advised us that as there is substantial uncertainty regarding the interpretation and
application of PRC laws and regulations. As such, we cannot assure you that the PRC government would agree that our corporate
structure or any of the above contractual arrangements comply with current or future PRC laws or regulations. PRC laws and
regulations governing the validity of these contractual arrangements are uncertain and the relevant governmental authorities may have
broad discretion in interpreting these laws and regulations. See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk factors — Risks Related to Our
Corporate Structure and Restrictions on Industry — We rely on contractual arrangements with our affiliated PRC entities and their
shareholders for our China operations, which may not be as effective in providing operating control as direct ownership. If any of
Beijing Champion or its shareholders fails to perform its or their obligations under these contractual arrangements, we may have to
legally enforce such arrangements and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely
affected if these arrangements cannot be enforced.” and “The shareholders of Beijing Champion may have potential conflicts of
interest with us, which may materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.”
We are a holding company with no material operations of our own. We conduct substantially all of our operations in China
through contractual arrangements with Beijing Champion, our variable interest entity, and its shareholders. See “Item 4. Information
on the Company — C. Organizational Structure” for a summary of these contractual arrangements. In the fiscal years ended
September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries contributed in aggregate 99%, almost 100% and almost
100%, respectively, of our total net revenues. As of the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014 and 2015, Beijing Champion and its
subsidiaries accounted for an aggregate of 61% and 74%, respectively, of our total assets, and 73% and 75%, respectively, of our total
liabilities. Our assets not associated with Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries primarily consist of cash.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2014, the FASB issued, ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)”. The guidance
substantially converges final standards on revenue recognition between the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board
providing a framework on addressing revenue recognition issues and, upon its effective date, replaces almost all existing revenue
recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance, in current U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
72
The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services
to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or
services. To achieve that core principle, an entity should apply the following steps:
•
•
•
•
•
Step 1: Identify the contract(s) with a customer.
Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract.
Step 3: Determine the transaction price.
Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract.
Step 5: Recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.
The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim
periods within that reporting period. Earlier application is permitted only as of annual reporting periods beginning after December 15,
2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. The Group is in the process of evaluating the impact of
adoption of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.
In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, “Consolidation (Topic 810) — Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis”.
The amendments in Topic 810 respond to stakeholders’ concerns about the current accounting for consolidation of variable interest
entities, by changing aspects of the analysis that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate such
entities.
Under the amendments, all reporting entities are within the scope of Subtopic 810-10, Consolidation – Overall, including limited
partnerships and similar legal entities, unless a scope exception applies. The amendments are intended to be an improvement to
current U.S. GAAP, as they simplify the codification of FASB Statement No. 167, Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46(R),
with changes including reducing the number of consolidation models through the elimination of the indefinite deferral of Statement
167 and placing more emphasis on risk of loss when determining a controlling financial interest. The amendments are effective for
publicly-traded companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and for interim periods within those fiscal years.
Earlier adoption is permitted. The implementation of this update is not expected to have any material impact on the Group’s
consolidated financial statements.
73
Results of Operations
The following table sets forth a summary, for the periods indicated, of our consolidated results of operations and each item
expressed as a percentage of our total net revenues. Our historical results presented below are not necessarily indicative of the results
that may be expected for any future period.
Net Revenues
Online education services
Books and reference materials
Others
Total net revenues
Cost of sales:
Cost of services
Cost of tangible goods sold
Total cost of sales
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Selling expenses
General and administrative expenses
Total operating expenses
Other operating income
Operating income
Interest income
Interest expense
Exchange income (loss)
Income before income taxes
Less: Income tax expense
Net income attributable to China Distance Education
2013
$
% of net
revenues
Years Ended September 30,
2014
$
% of net
revenues
(In thousands, except for percentages)
2015
$
% of net
revenues
58,573
5,129
7,658
71,360
(27,073)
(2,844)
(29,917)
41,443
(15,673)
(9,806)
(25,479)
59
16,023
1,415
—
(77)
17,361
(3,797)
82.1%
7.2%
10.7%
100.0%
80,545
6,392
10,259
97,196
82.9%
6.6%
10.5%
100.0%
88,657
6,873
12,647
108,177
82.0%
6.3%
11.7%
100.0%
(37.9)% (35,187)
(4.0)% (4,616)
(41.9)% (39,803)
57,393
58.1%
(36.2)%
(4.8)%
(41.0)%
59.0%
(41,043)
(3,300)
(44,343)
63,834
(22.0)% (21,445)
(13.7)% (11,645)
(35.7)% (33,090)
253
0.1%
24,556
22.5%
2,964
2.0%
(291)
—
232
(0.1)%
27,461
24.3%
(5.3)% (4,052)
(22.1)%
(12.0)%
(34.1)%
0.3%
25.2%
3.1%
(0.3)%
0.2%
28.2%
(4.1)%
(24,186)
(13,211)
(37,397)
224
26,661
3,513
(464)
737
30,447
(5,874)
(37.9)%
(3.1)%
(41.0)%
59.0%
(22.4)%
(12.2)%
(34.6)%
0.2%
24.6%
3.2%
(0.4)%
0.7%
28.1%
(5.4)%
Holdings Limited
13,564
19.0%
23,409
24.1%
24,573
22.7%
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2015 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2014
Net Revenues
Our net revenues increased by 11.3% to $108.2 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 from $97.2 million in the
fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, primarily as a result of growth in sales of our online education services, books and reference
materials, and revenue from other sources.
Online education services. Net revenues from online education services increased by 10.1% to $88.7 million in the fiscal year
ended September 30, 2015 from $80.5 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014. This increase was primarily due to overall
modest growth in the total number of our online course enrollments from 3,180,000 in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 to
3,260,000 in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, despite a weaker business environment. In particular, growth in enrollments
of healthcare courses and, accounting and engineering & construction continuing education courses was partially offset by decreased
enrollments from accounting and engineering & construction test preparation courses. See “Item 5.A. Operating and Financial
Review and Prospects – Operating Results – Specific Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations “ for the impact of cancellation of
Registered Tax Agent qualification and tightening the employment policy of Associate Constructor and Constructor on our revenues.
As a result, we generated higher revenue in our healthcare, open learning platform and engineering & construction courses, offset by
decreased revenue in accounting courses. Our accounting courses continued to account for the majority of our course enrollments and
revenue. Our accounting courses generated revenues of approximately $48.2 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015,
compared to approximately $50.0 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014. In addition, our healthcare and engineering &
construction courses generated revenues of approximately $25.5 million and $8.3 million, respectively, in the fiscal year ended
September 30, 2015, compared to $17.1 million and $7.9 million, respectively, in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014.
74
Books and reference materials. Net revenues from sales of books and reference materials increased by 7.5% to $6.9 million in
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 from $6.4 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014.
Others. Our net revenues from other sources increased by 23.3% to $12.6 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015
from $10.3 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, primarily due to higher revenue from our “Tax School” program and
business start-up training courses. This increase was partially offset by decreased revenue in courseware production services and
platform production services.
Gross Profit
Our gross profit increased by 11.2% to $63.8 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 from $57.4 million in the
fiscal year ended September 30, 2014. Our gross margin was 59.0% in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, in line with fiscal
year ended September 30, 2014.
Operating Expenses
Our operating expenses increased by 13.0% to $37.4 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 from $33.1 million in
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 for the reasons explained below.
Selling expenses. Our selling expenses increased by 12.8% to $24.2 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 from
$21.4 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014. This increase resulted primarily from increased marketing and
promotional activities, and rental and related expenses. This increase was partially offset by decreased commissions paid to sales
agents. As a percentage of our net revenues, however, our selling expenses remained relatively steady at 22.4% of our net revenues in
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, as compared to 22.1% of our net revenues in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014.
General and administrative expenses. Our general and administrative expenses increased by 13.4% to $13.2 million in the fiscal
year ended September 30, 2015 from $11.6 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014. This increase was primarily due to
increased rental and related expenses, depreciation and share-based compensation expenses. This increase was partially offset by
decreased salaries and related expenses due to a decrease in performance-based bonus, and change in bad debts provision. As a
percentage of our net revenues, our general and administrative expenses remained relatively steady at 12.2% of our net revenues in
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, as compared to 12.0% of our net revenues in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014.
Other Operating Income
In the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, we had other operating income of $0.2 million which was mainly from (i) cash
awards awarded by the Industry Planning and Development Department of Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park Management
Committee; (ii) subsidies received from Shijiazhuang Bureau of Labor Employment Services to our branch company in Shijiazhuang;
and (iii) cash compensation for infringements of courseware copyrights. In the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, we had other
operating income of $0.3 million which was mainly from cash awards awarded by Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park and subsidies
for high and new technology projects from Beijing Science and Technology Committee.
Income taxes
Income tax expense for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 was $5.9 million, compared with an income tax expense of
$4.1 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014. The increase in income tax expense was mainly due to the increase in
taxable income generated from the PRC in fiscal year 2015 compared with fiscal year 2014, and the provision of withholding tax
applicable to the profits generated by our PRC subsidiaries in fiscal year 2015 that we expect to distribute to our Hong Kong
subsidiary. Income tax expenses in fiscal year 2014 included reversal of certain accumulated unpaid income tax expense accrued in
earlier fiscal years.
Net Income
As a result of the above factors, our net income was $24.6 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, compared to a
net income of $23.4 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014.
75
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2014 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2013
Net Revenues
Our net revenues increased by 36.2% to $97.2 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 from $71.4 million in the
fiscal year ended September 30, 2013, primarily as a result of growth in sales of our online education services, books and reference
materials, and revenue from other sources.
Online education services. Net revenues from online education services increased by 37.5% to $80.5 million in the fiscal year
ended September 30, 2014 from $58.6 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013. This increase was primarily due to overall
growth in the total number of our online course enrollments from 2,650,000 in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 to 3,180,000
in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, resulting in higher revenue in our accounting, healthcare and engineering & construction
courses. Our accounting courses continued to account for the majority of our course enrollments, while enrollments in our healthcare
and engineering & construction courses also increased significantly. Of this revenue increase, our accounting courses generated
revenues of approximately $50.0 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, compared to approximately $40.0 million in
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013. In addition, our healthcare and engineering & construction courses generated revenues of
approximately $17.1 million and $7.9 million, respectively, in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, compared to $9.2 million
and $4.6 million, respectively, in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013.
Books and reference materials. Net revenues from sales of books and reference materials increased by 24.6% to $6.4 million in
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 from $5.1 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013.
Others. Our net revenues from other sources increased by 34.0% to $10.3 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014
from $7.7 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013, primarily due to higher revenue from our “Tax School” program, in-
person accounting professional training courses, and courseware production services. This increase was partially offset by decreased
revenue in our Information Technology Application Training program supplementary services.
Gross Profit
Our gross profit increased by 38.5% to $57.4 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 from $41.4 million in the
fiscal year ended September 30, 2013. Our gross margin increased to 59.0% in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 from 58.1%
in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013. The increase in gross margin was primarily driven by the scalability of our online
education model as revenue growth outpaced overall increases in costs. This increase was partially offset by the significant increase
in our server management and bandwidth leasing fees, salaries and related expenses, fees paid to our lecturers due to the increase of
hourly lecturer fees, costs of books and reference materials due to impairment of obsolete inventories, and rental and related
expenses.
Operating Expenses
Our operating expenses increased by 29.9% to $33.1 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 from $25.5 million in
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 for the reasons explained below.
Selling expenses. Our selling expenses increased by 36.8% to $21.4 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 from
$15.7 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013. This increase resulted primarily from increased marketing and
promotional activities, increased commissions paid to sales agents due to an increase in the sales of our courses, increased salaries
and related expenses for our customer service staff and sales and marketing staff, and increased freight and delivery expenses related
to our books and reference materials and promotional materials. As a percentage of our net revenues, however, our selling expenses
remained relatively steady at 22.1% of our net revenues in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, as compared to 22.0% of our net
revenues in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013.
General and administrative expenses. Our general and administrative expenses increased by 18.8% to $11.6 million in the fiscal
year ended September 30, 2014 from $9.8 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013. This increase was primarily due to
increased salaries and related expenses, and increased rental and related expenses. This increase was partially offset by decreased
professional fees and reversal of bad debts provision. As a percentage of our net revenues, however, our general and administrative
expenses decreased to 12.0% of our net revenues in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 from 13.7% of our net revenues in the
fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 due to relatively stable administrative expenses.
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Other Operating Income
In the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, we had other operating income of $0.3 million which was mainly from cash awards
awarded by Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park and subsidies for high and new technology projects from Beijing Science and
Technology Committee. In the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013, we had other operating income of $59,000 which was mainly
compensation from a lecturer for breach of service agreement with us.
Income taxes
Income tax expense for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 was $4.1 million, compared with an income tax expense of
$3.8 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013. The increase in income tax expense was mainly due to the increase in
taxable income generated from the PRC in fiscal year 2014 compared with fiscal year 2013, and the provision of withholding tax
applicable to the profits generated by our PRC subsidiaries in fiscal year 2014 that we expect to distribute to our Hong Kong
subsidiary. This increase was partially offset by reversal of certain accumulated unpaid income tax expense accrued in earlier fiscal
years.
Net Income
As a result of the above factors, our net income was $23.4 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, compared to a
net income of $13.6 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013.
B. Liquidity and Capital Resources
Historically, we have financed our operations primarily through cash generated internally. On March 11, 2014, we completed a
follow-on public offering of ADSs by us and certain selling shareholders. Through the follow-on public offering we issued and sold
1,500,000 ADSs at the price of $21.00 per ADS. The net proceeds received by us, after deducting underwriting discounts and
commissions and listing expenses payable by us, amounted to approximately $29.1 million. As of September 30, 2013, 2014 and
2015, we had approximately $72.7 million, $140.4 million and $138.9 million in cash and cash equivalents, including bank term
deposits and restricted cash, respectively. As of September 30, 2015, our cash and cash equivalents of $117.9 million primarily
consisted of cash on hand, bank deposits, and AAA rated money market funds which are unrestricted as to withdrawal and use and
are deposited with banks or financial institutions in China, Hong Kong and United States. We intend to finance our future working
capital requirements and capital expenditures from net cash generated from operating activities, existing cash and cash equivalents.
We believe that our working capital is sufficient for our present requirements.
Our PRC subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities, in the aggregate, held RMB806.5 million ($126.9 million) in cash and
cash equivalents, bank term deposits and restricted cash, as of September 30, 2015. For information regarding restrictions and
potential tax liabilities on profit distribution from these entities, please see “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Conducting Business in
China — PRC regulations relating to investments in offshore companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC-resident beneficial
owners or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiaries or limit our PRC
subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits”, and “— Restrictions on currency exchange may limit the
ability of our PRC subsidiaries and affiliated entities to finance their activities.”
Our PRC subsidiaries and our consolidated affiliated entities generally earn their revenues in Renminbi which is not a freely
convertible currency. Although our PRC subsidiaries generally may convert Renminbi into foreign currency to pay dividends, our
PRC subsidiaries must follow specific procedural requirements which could result in delay or which could change in the future. In
addition, each of our PRC subsidiaries may pay dividends only out of its accumulated distributable profits, if any, determined in
accordance with its articles of association and the accounting standards and regulations in the PRC. Pursuant to applicable PRC laws
and regulations, 10% of the after-tax profits of each of our PRC subsidiaries are required to be set aside in a statutory surplus reserve
fund each year until the reserve balance reaches 50% of such PRC subsidiary’s registered capital. Allocations to these statutory
reserves may only be used for specific purposes and are not distributable to us in the form of loans, advances or cash dividends. As a
result of these PRC restrictions, our PRC subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities are restricted in their ability to transfer a
portion of their net assets to CDEL Cayman (either in the form of dividends, loans or advances), which restricted portion as
calculated under US GAAP amounted to approximately RMB144.7 million ($23.6 million) and RMB148.9 million ($23.4 million),
respectively, as of September 30, 2014 and September 30, 2015.
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We are a holding company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. We derive a substantial majority of our income
from the business operation of our PRC subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities in China. Prior to January 1, 2008, dividends
derived by foreign enterprises from business operations in China were not subject to the PRC enterprise income tax. However, such
tax exemption ceased after January 1, 2008 with the effectiveness of the EIT Law and a withholding tax rate of 10% will apply to
such dividends, unless any such foreign investor’s jurisdiction of incorporation has a tax treaty with China that provides for a
preferential withholding arrangement. Our PRC subsidiaries’ earnings generated before 2008 that were available for distribution and
were not subject to any PRC dividend withholding taxes amounted to $6.7 million. We distributed such earnings to CDEL Hong
Kong in December 2012. For our PRC subsidiaries’ earnings generated after 2008 that were available for distribution, provisions of
$0.3 million, $0.4 million and $0.5 million have been made in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015,
respectively, for the PRC dividend withholding taxes with respect to the distribution of these earnings to CDEL Hong Kong. The
economic benefits of our PRC consolidated affiliated entity, Beijing Champion, are mainly transferred to our PRC subsidiaries
Champion Education Technology and Champion Technology through payment of service fees and licensing fees under the Software
License Agreement, Courseware Production Entrustment Agreement, Technical Support and Consultancy Services Agreement and
Courseware License Agreement entered into between Beijing Champion, Champion Education Technology and Champion
Technology. Such service fees and licensing fees are subject to VAT and related surcharges. Upon receipt of such fees, they will
become a portion of revenues for Champion Education Technology and Champion Technology and can be remitted to the Cayman
Islands holding company in the form of dividend distribution.
We used part of our cash towards a share repurchase program we implemented from August 18, 2015 to August 17, 2016. The
program authorized us to repurchase up to $20.0 million worth of our issued and outstanding ADSs from time to time in open market
transactions on the NYSE. For more details, see “Item 16.E. Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers.”
As of September 30, 2015, we repurchased 284,309 ADSs on the open market for a consideration of $3.3 million.
The following table summarizes our cash flows in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015:
Net cash generated from operating activities
Net cash (used in) generated from investing activities
Net cash (used in) generated from financing activities
Exchange rate effect on cash and cash equivalents
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year
For the Year Ended September 30,
2015
2014
2013
$
$
$
(In thousands)
32,138 44,093 37,779
4,506 (24,180) (4,311)
(15,659) 26,115 (29,887)
128 (3,757)
22,196 46,156
(176)
49,723 71,919 118,075
71,919 118,075 117,899
1,211
CDEL Cayman, our ultimate holding company, may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC
subsidiaries for its cash requirements, but such dividends and other distributions are subject to restrictions under PRC law. See
Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements included in this annual report.
Operating activities
Net cash of $37.8 million generated from operating activities in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 was primarily
attributable to (i) net income before non-cash items including share-based compensation expenses, depreciation and amortization,
provision of obsolete inventories, interest on bank borrowing and reduction in allowance for doubtful accounts, (ii) decrease in
deferred tax assets of $0.5 million, (iii) increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities of $3.5 million, (iv) increase in deferred
revenue and refundable fees of $7.3 million, and (v) increase in deferred tax liabilities of $0.5 million. The increase in operating cash
flow was partially offset by increase in inventories, and prepayments and other assets of $0.5 million and $1.3 million, respectively.
Net cash of $44.1 million generated from operating activities in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 was primarily
attributable to (i) net income before non-cash items including share-based compensation expenses, depreciation and amortization,
provision of obsolete inventories, and reduction in allowance for doubtful accounts, (ii) decrease in accounts receivable of $2.4
million, (iii) decrease in deferred costs of $0.6 million, (iv) increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities of $7.9 million, and
(v) increase in deferred revenue and refundable fees of $7.2 million. The increase in operating cash flow was partially offset by
increase in other non-current assets of $0.6 million.
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Net cash of $32.1 million generated from operating activities in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 was primarily
attributable to (i) net income before non-cash items including share-based compensation expenses, depreciation and amortization,
reversal of impairment on deferred costs, and reversal of allowance for doubtful accounts, (ii) decrease in accounts receivable of $1.0
million, (iii) increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities of $5.1 million, (iv) increase in income tax payable of $1.6 million, and
(v) increase in deferred revenue and refundable fees of $8.0 million. The increase in operating cash flow was partially offset by
increase in prepayments and other assets, and other non-current assets of $0.4 million and $0.4 million, respectively.
Investing activities
Net cash of $4.3 million used in investing activities in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 was primarily attributable to
capital expenditure of $4.9 million. The decrease in cash flow was partially offset by the release of term deposits of $0.8 million.
Net cash of $24.2 million used in investing activities in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 was primarily attributable to
(i) the pledge of $16.3 million in term deposit placed with a financial institution to secure a RMB100 million ($16.3 million) term
loan facility, (ii) the purchase of term deposits of $4.9 million, and (iii) capital expenditure of $2.7 million.
Net cash of $4.5 million generated from investing activities in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 was primarily
attributable to release of term deposits of $7.3 million. The increase in cash flow was partially offset by capital expenditure of $2.8
million.
Financing activities
Net cash of $29.9 million used in financing activities in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015 was primarily attributable to
(i) payment of a special dividend of $28.2 million, and (ii) repurchase of our ADSs on the open market for a consideration of $3.3
million. The decrease in cash flow was partially offset by repayment of a $1.0 million loan by optionees in connection with exercise
of their options.
Net cash of $26.1 million generated from financing activities in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 was primarily
attributable to (i) the net proceeds of $29.1 million from our follow-on public offering, (ii) a $16.3 million (RMB100 million) term
loan facility from a financial institution, and (iii) repayment of a $1.2 million loan by optionees in connection with exercise of their
options. The increase in cash flow was partially offset by payment of a special dividend of $20.3 million.
Net cash of $15.7 million used in financing activities in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 was primarily attributable to
special dividend payment of $16.1 million. The decrease in cash flow was partially offset by proceeds from share options exercised of
$0.6 million.
Capital Expenditures
We incurred capital expenditures of $2.8 million, $2.7 million and $4.9 million in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013,
2014 and 2015, respectively. The amount of capital expenditures in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 related
primarily to our expenditures on property, plant and equipment, and software. From time to time, we may evaluate and make
investments, acquisitions or divestments.
We believe that our current cash and cash equivalents, and anticipated cash flows from operations will be sufficient to meet our
anticipated working capital requirements and capital expenditures for 12 months following the date of this annual report. Our online
course platform can support significant growth in course enrollments and is easily adapted for the addition of new courses. We do,
however, expect to spend money on the further development of our “Chinaacc” and “med66.com” brands and other brands in the
disciplines for which we offer courses. We do not expect our short-term and long-term cash requirements to be materially different.
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Nevertheless, we may require additional sources of liquidity in the event of changes in business conditions or other future
developments. Factors affecting our sources of liquidity include, for example, our sales performance, ability to control costs and
expenses, choice of financing arrangements and mergers and acquisitions. Any changes in the significant factors affecting our
revenues from education services may cause material fluctuations in our cash generated from operations. See “Operating Results —
Overview — Specific Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations” for a description of these significant factors. Changes in working
capital, including any significant shortening or lengthening of our accounts receivable cycle or customer prepayment cycles, may also
cause fluctuations in our cash generated from operations. If our sources of liquidity are insufficient to satisfy our cash requirements,
we may seek to sell additional equity or debt securities to meet our cash needs. The sale of convertible debt securities or additional
equity securities could result in dilution to our shareholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in debt service obligations
and could result in operating and financial covenants that restrict our operations. We cannot assure you that future financing will be
available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all.
Current PRC regulations permit our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to us only out of their accumulated profits, if any,
determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. However, our PRC subsidiaries are required under PRC
laws and regulations to allocate a portion of their annual after-tax profits, if any, to certain statutory reserves and funds prior to
declaring and remitting dividends. For example, our PRC subsidiaries are required to allocate at least 10% of their after-tax profits to
statutory reserves each year until such reserves reach 50% of their respective registered capital. Allocations to these statutory reserves
and funds can be used only for specific purposes and are not transferable to us in the form of loans, advances or cash dividends. As a
result, our PRC subsidiaries are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to us. Such limitations on the ability of
our PRC subsidiaries to transfer funds to us could materially and adversely affect our ability to grow, make investments or
acquisitions, pay dividends, and otherwise fund and conduct our businesses.
Inflation
According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the change in China’s Consumer Price Index was 2.6% and 2.0% in the
years 2013 and 2014, respectively. In December 2015, the change in China’s Consumer Price Index was 1.6%. Inflation has had some
impact on our operations in recent years, particularly in the form of higher salaries for our lecturers, and employees. For more details,
see “Item 5.A. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Operating Results — Description of Key Line Items — Cost of
Sales, Selling Expenses, and General and Administrative Expenses.” We can provide no assurance that we will not continue to be
affected in the future by higher rates of inflation in China, or that we will be able to adjust our fees to mitigate the impact of inflation
on our results of operations.
C. Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, Etc.
Research and development does not constitute a material part of our business and we do not incur any material expenses related
to research and development.
D. Trend Information
Other than as disclosed elsewhere in this annual report, we are not aware of any trends, uncertainties, demands, commitments or
events for the year ended September 30, 2015 that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on our revenues, income,
profitability, liquidity or capital resources, or that caused the disclosed financial information to be not necessarily indicative of future
operating results or financial conditions.
E. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not currently have, and do not expect in the future to have, any outstanding off-balance sheet arrangements or
commitments. In our ongoing business, we do not plan to enter into transactions involving, or otherwise form relationships with,
unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or
commitments.
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F. Tabular Disclosure of Contractual Obligations
Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments
The following table sets forth our contractual obligations as of September 30, 2015:
Payment Due by Period
Total
Within 1
Year
1-3
Years
3-5
Years
More than
5 Years
Others
Operating lease obligations (1)
Others (2)
Short term borrowing (3)
Total
9,780
171
(In thousands of $)
4,796 4,768 216 — —
171
16,467 16,467 — — — —
171
26,418 21,263 4,768 216 —
(1) Our operating lease obligations primarily relate to our leased servers and bandwidth as well as our leased offices and staff
quarters in China, Hong Kong and United States. The office and staff quarter leases expire at different times over the period
from the date of this annual report through 2020, and will become subject to renewal. We will evaluate the need to renew each
office and staff quarter lease on a case-by-case basis prior to its expiration.
(2) Liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits. The balance disclosed under “Others” represents liabilities for which reasonable
estimates about the timing of the payment cannot be made.
(3) CDEL Cayman drew down a loan of RMB103.6 million from a bank, the loan is effective from June 24, 2015 to June 24, 2016
for a period of 12 months.
Indebtedness
On December 6, 2013, CDEL Hong Kong entered into a loan agreement with a bank for a RMB100 million ($16.3 million) term
loan facility with a 2.4% annual interest rate for a term of 18 months. The facility was secured by a term deposit of RMB100 million
provided by Champion Technology. The loan was repaid on July 2, 2015.
On June 22, 2015, CDEL Cayman entered into a loan agreement with a bank for a RMB300 million ($47.2 million) 3-year
revolving term loan facility. RMB103.6 million ($16.3 million) of facility was drawn down on June 24, 2015 with a 3.625% annual
interest rate for a term of 12 months. The facility was secured by a term deposit of RMB103.6 million ($16.3 million) provided by
Champion Technology.
G. Safe Harbor
This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. See “Introduction — Forward-Looking Statements.”
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ITEM 6. DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES
A. Directors and Senior Management
The following table sets forth certain information relating to our directors and executive officers as of the date of this annual
report. The business address of each of our directors and executive officers is 18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower, 1 Zhichun
Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, the People’s Republic of China.
Name
Age Position
Zhengdong Zhu
47 Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer
Baohong Yin
48 Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors
Feijia Ji
42 Senior Executive Vice President, Director
52 Independent Director
Xiaoshu Chen
Annabelle Yu Long 42 Independent Director
65 Independent Director
Liankui Hu
53 Independent Director
Carol Yu
54 Co-Chief Financial Officer
Mark Marostica
44 Co-Chief Financial Officer
Philip Chan
Zhengdong Zhu is co-founder, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of our company and is responsible for the
overall management operations and strategic direction of our company. Prior to co-founding our company in 1998, Mr. Zhu worked
at the Beijing Huake Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., a communications products and computer facilities company, as an engineer, manager of
network department and vice general manager in charge of marketing and sales from 1995 to 1998. From 1989 to 1995, Mr. Zhu
worked as an engineer in the area of electronic communications technology at the research department of North China Institute of
Electro-Optics Technology. Mr. Zhu graduated from the Radio Engineering Department of the Southeast University in China with a
bachelor’s degree in radio engineering in 1989, and obtained a graduate certificate from the management science department in
Sichuan University in China in 2001. Mr. Zhu received his MBA degree from Tsinghua University in 2011. Mr. Zhu and
Ms. Baohong Yin, our director and deputy chairman, are husband and wife.
Baohong Yin is co-founder, director and deputy chairman of our company. From 1989 to 2004, Ms. Yin worked as engineer,
vice director of laboratory, senior engineer, director of laboratory and vice-general engineer at Beijing Uni-Construction Dadi
Concrete Building Components Co., Ltd (previously known as Beijing Residential Construction Component Manufacturer). Ms. Yin
graduated in 1989 from the Civil Engineering Department of Southeast University in China with a bachelor’s degree in civil
engineering. She was also conferred the qualification as a senior engineer by the Beijing Advanced Specialized Technology
Committee in 1999. Ms. Yin received her EMBA degree from Beijing University in 2010. Ms. Yin and Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, our
chairman and chief executive officer, are wife and husband.
Feijia Ji is senior executive vice president of our company. From 1996 to 2000, Mr. Ji worked as a marketing manager at the
Beijing Huake Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. From 1995 to 1996, Mr. Ji worked as a business manager at Huayou Beijing Service Corporation.
Mr. Ji graduated from Beijing Xicheng Workers University in 1996.
Xiaoshu Chen is an independent director of our company, and currently a professor and an assistant director at the Department
of Radio Engineering of SISE Southeast University in China. From 1985 to 2001, Professor Chen worked as an assistant lecturer,
lecturer and assistant professor at the same department. Professor Chen has almost 20 years of experience in communication systems
and network research. He graduated in 1985 from the Department of Radio Engineering of the Nanjing Institute of Technology in
China with a bachelor’s degree in engineering. He obtained his master’s degree in engineering in 1990 from the same university.
Annabelle Yu Long is an independent director of our company. She is a member of Bertelsmann Group Management
Committee, Chief Executive Officer of Bertelsmann China Corporate Center and Managing Director of Bertelsmann Asia
Investments, a strategic investment arm of Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA. In addition, she has served as a board member of BMG
Right Management Germany GmbH. From 2005 to 2007, Ms. Long was a principal of Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments.
Ms. Long received her bachelor’s degree in science and electric engineering from the University of Electronic Science and
Technology in China in 1994, and her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2005.
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Liankui Hu is an independent director of our company. He has also served as chairman on the boards of directors of the
following technology companies since 1998, Beijing Teamsun Technology Co., Ltd., and Beijing Huasun Mingtian Technology Co.
Ltd. From 1987 to 1998, Mr. Hu had worked for the Sixth Electronics Institute of the Ministry of Information Industry as deputy
president, for Beijing Shenyan System Co., Ltd. as general manager, and for Beijing Huasun Computer Co., Ltd. as general manager.
He was a lecturer in School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University in China from 1985 to 1987. Mr. Hu received his
bachelor’s degree in engineering from Radio Engineering Department of Tsinghua University in 1982, and his master’s degree from
School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University in 1985.
Carol Yu is an independent director of our company. In 2004, Ms. Yu joined the Sohu.com Inc, an internet company listed on
Nasdaq, and is now Sohu’s President and Chief Financial Officer as well as Co-Chief Executive Officer of Changyou.com Limited,
Sohu’s Nasdaq-listed gaming subsidiary. Prior to joining Sohu, Ms. Yu worked at Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette Securities
Corporation and Arthur Andersen & Co. Ms. Yu obtained her bachelor’s degree in accounting from The Hong Kong Polytechnic
University.
Mark Marostica is our Co-Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Marostica joined our company as vice president of corporate
development and strategy in January 2015. He has over 15 years of experience in the capital markets, with a focus on Asian education
and Internet companies. Before joining our company, he was a managing director and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray &
Company from 1998 to 2014, and served as managing director and head of Asia equity research from 2009 to 2012. Prior to that he
was a consulting manager at Deloitte & Touche from 1994 to 1998. Earlier in his career Mark served as an information technology
manager at Fortis, and as an analyst at Electronic Data Systems. Mark holds a master degree in Business Administration from
University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from Lakehead University in Canada.
Philip Chan is our Co-Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Chan has been our company’s financial controller since 2005 and has had
overall responsibility for financial and accounting matters. He has over 19 years of accounting and auditing experience and is a
Certified Public Accountant of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and associate of the Association of
International Accountants. He received a Master degree in Applied Finance from the University of Western Sydney in 2002.
B. Compensation
Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, we and our subsidiaries paid aggregate cash compensation of approximately $0.8
million to our directors and executive officers as a group. We do not pay or set aside any amounts pursuant to a bonus plan or for
pension, retirement or other benefits for our officers and directors.
Share Options, Restricted Shares and Share Incentive Plans
We adopted our Share Incentive Plan, or the Prior Plan, on April 18, 2008. We adopted on July 2, 2008, and amended and
restated on February 16, 2009 and May 21, 2012, respectively, our 2008 Performance Incentive Plan, or the New Plan. Our incentive
plans are intended to promote our success and to increase shareholder value by providing an additional means to attract, motivate,
retain and reward selected directors, officers, employees, lecturers and other eligible persons. An aggregate of 11,652,556 ordinary
shares are reserved for issuance under the Prior Plan. Subject to any amendment of the New Plan, the maximum number of ordinary
shares that may be issued pursuant to the New Plan is 20,794,379 ordinary shares as of September 30, 2015, plus an automatic annual
increase on October 1 of each calendar year commencing from October 1, 2015, by an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 2% of the total
number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding on September 30 of the same calendar year, (ii) 2,850,000 ordinary shares, or
(iii) such number of ordinary shares as may be determined by our board of directors.
Under the Prior Plan, we had granted options for the purchase of a total of 11,045,500 ordinary shares to selected officers,
employees, and lecturers as of September 30, 2015. Pursuant to the New Plan, we had granted options for the purchase of a total of
5,962,500 ordinary shares and issued 1,174,515 restricted shares to five non-executive directors, officers and selected employees as of
September 30, 2015. As of December 31, 2015, there were outstanding options to purchase 2,174,900 ordinary shares, out of which
options to purchase approximately 500,000 ordinary shares have vested under their current terms. We expect to recognize share-based
compensation expenses for the remaining vesting period of the outstanding options and restricted shares, which may continue to
impact our future results of operations. During the fiscal years of September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, we recognized share-based
compensation expenses of $0.6 million, $0.5 million and $1.8 million, respectively.
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On September 27, 2011 and November 11, 2015, we determined to provide three-year interest free, full recourse loans to
employees and lecturers to exercise their options. On August 13, 2014 and August 18, 2015, we determined to extend part of the loan
due on December 4, 2014 and November 27, 2015 for an additional three years to December 4, 2017 and November 27, 2018,
respectively. As of September 30, 2015, 7,444,668 options had been exercised using this facility, amounting to a total loan amount of
$4.9 million. The outstanding balance of the loan was $2.2 million as of September 30, 2015.
On May 21, 2013, we cancelled 400,000 and 720,900 share options granted to our non-executive directors and employees on
December 2, 2008 and November 17, 2009, respectively, under the New Plan.
On November 20, 2013, November 18, 2014 and November 11, 2015, we declared a cash dividend of $0.15, $0.20 and $0.225
per ordinary share on our outstanding shares to shareholders of record as of the close of trading on January 8, 2014, January 6, 2015
and January 6, 2016, respectively, and reduced the exercise price of all our outstanding options under our Prior Plan and New Plan by
the same amount per share accordingly.
On November 18, 2014, we granted 2,800,000 options to employees at an exercise price of $3.7425 per share under the New
Plan, which equaled the per share value of our ADS on the NYSE at the close of trading on November 18, 2014. The vesting term of
the options granted to employees is a four-year period, with four equal annual installments.
On January 12, 2015, we issued 542,372 restricted ordinary shares to an employee under the New Plan. The vesting term of the
restricted ordinary shares is a four-year period, with 25% vesting on the first anniversary of the issue date and the remaining 75%
vesting in six substantially equal semi-annual installments.
Options granted under our share incentive plans generally do not vest unless the grantee remains under our employment or in
service with us on the given vesting date. Generally, if the grantee’s employment or service with us is terminated for cause, all such
grantee’s options under our share incentive plans, vested and unvested, immediately terminate and become unexercisable. On the
other hand, if the grantee’s employment or service with us is terminated for any reason other than for cause, all such grantee’s vested
options terminate and become unexercisable ninety days following the grantee’s last day of employment or service with us. In
circumstances where there is a death or disability of the grantee, generally all unvested options immediately terminate and become
unexercisable while vested options terminate and become unexercisable twelve months after the last date of employment or service
with us. Generally, all unvested options granted under the Plan become fully vested immediately upon a change in the control of our
company.
Our board of directors may amend, alter, suspend, or terminate our share incentive plans at any time, provided, however, that
our board of directors must first seek the approval of the participants of our share incentive plans if such amendment, alteration,
suspension or termination would adversely affect the rights of participants under any option granted prior to that date. Without further
action by our board of directors, both Prior Plan and the New Plan will terminate in 2018.
84
The table below sets forth the options and restricted shares issued to our directors and executive officers pursuant to our share
incentive plans:
Name of Recipient
Carol Yu
Type of Incentive
Securities
Number of Ordinary
Shares Issued or to
be Issued
Exercise Price
per Ordinary
Share
Date of Grant
or Issue
Vesting Start
Date
Date of
Expiration
restricted ordinary
shares
20,000 ordinary
shares
restricted ordinary
shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
not applicable December 3, 2012
not applicable December 3, 2012
not applicable
not applicable
Baohong Yin
restricted ordinary
shares
20,000 ordinary
shares
restricted ordinary
shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
not applicable December 3, 2012
not applicable
not applicable
not applicable December 3, 2012
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
not applicable December 3, 2013
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
not applicable December 3, 2014
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
not applicable December 3, 2015
restricted ordinary
shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
not applicable December 3, 2013
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
not applicable December 3, 2014
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
not applicable December 3, 2015
85
not applicable
restriction
removed on the
first anniversary
of the issue date
not applicable
not applicable
not applicable
restriction
removed on
the first
anniversary of
the issue date
restriction
removed on
the first
anniversary of
the issue date
restriction
removed on
the first
anniversary of
the issue date
not applicable
not applicable
not applicable
not applicable
restriction
removed on the
first anniversary
of the issue date
restriction
removed on the
first anniversary
of the issue date
restriction
removed on
the first
anniversary of
the issue date
restriction
removed on
the first
anniversary of
the issue date
Xiaoshu Chen
Annabelle Yu Long
restricted ordinary
shares
20,000 ordinary
shares
restricted ordinary
shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
restricted ordinary
shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
restricted ordinary
shares
20,000 ordinary
shares
restricted ordinary
shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
restricted ordinary
shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
not applicable December 3, 2012 not applicable
not applicable
not applicable December 3, 2012 restriction
not applicable
removed on the
first anniversary
of the issue date
not applicable December 3, 2013 restriction
not applicable
removed on the
first anniversary
of the issue date
not applicable December 3, 2014 restriction
not applicable
removed on
the first
anniversary of the
issue date
not applicable December 3, 2015 restriction
not applicable
removed on
the first
anniversary of
the issue date
not applicable December 3, 2012 not applicable
not applicable
not applicable December 3, 2012 restriction
not applicable
removed on
the first
anniversary of
the issue date
not applicable December 3, 2013 restriction
not applicable
removed on the
first anniversary
of the issue date
not applicable December 3, 2014 restriction
not applicable
removed on
the first
anniversary of the
issue date
not applicable December 3, 2015 restriction
not applicable
removed on
the first
anniversary of the
issue date
86
Liankui Hu
restricted ordinary
shares
20,000 ordinary
shares
restricted ordinary
shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
restricted ordinary
shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
restricted
ordinary shares
25,000 ordinary
shares
Mark Marostica
restricted
ordinary shares
542,372
ordinary
shares
not applicable December 3, 2012 not applicable
not applicable
not applicable December 3, 2012 restriction
not applicable
removed on the
first anniversary
of the issue date
not applicable December 3, 2013 restriction
not applicable
removed on the
first anniversary
of the issue date
not applicable December 3, 2014 restriction
not applicable
removed on
the first
anniversary of
the
issue date
not applicable December 3, 2015 restriction
not applicable
removed on
the first
anniversary of
the issue date
not applicable January 12, 2015 The vesting
not applicable
period is four
years, with 25%
vesting on the
first anniversary
of the issue date
and the
remaining
75% vesting in
six substantially
equal
semi-annual
installments.
The vesting
period is four
years, with four
equal annual
installments
November 17,
2024
Philip Chan
Options
320,000
ordinary
shares
$3.3175*
November 18,
2014
*
In connection with our declaration of special cash dividend of $0.20 and $0.225 per share on November 18, 2014 and
November 11, 2015, respectively, we reduced the exercise price of the options by the same amount per share.
C. Board Practices
Duties of Directors
Under Cayman Islands law, our directors have a statutory duty of loyalty to act honestly in good faith with a view to our best
interests. Our directors also have a duty to exercise the care, diligence and skills that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in
comparable circumstances. In fulfilling their duty of care to us, our directors must ensure compliance with our second amended and
restated memorandum of association and articles of association. A shareholder has the right to seek damages if a duty owed by our
directors is breached.
87
The functions and powers of our board of directors include, among others:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
convening shareholders’ meetings and reporting its work to shareholders at such meetings;
implementing shareholders’ resolutions;
determining our business plans and investment proposals;
formulating our profit distribution plans and loss recovery plans;
determining our debt and finance policies and proposals for the increase or decrease in our registered capital and the
issuance of debentures;
formulating our major acquisition and disposition plans, and plans for merger, division or dissolution;
proposing amendments to our second amended and restated memorandum of association and articles of association; and
exercising any other powers conferred by the shareholders’ meetings or under our second amended and restated
memorandum of association and articles of association.
Terms of Executive Officers
All of our executive officers are appointed by and serve at the discretion of our board of directors.
Terms of Directors
We currently have a board of seven directors divided into class A, class B and class C directors. Mr. Feijia Ji is the class A
director. The class B directors are Ms. Baohong Yin, Ms. Annabelle Yu Long and Mr. Xiaoshu Chen. The class C directors are
Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, Ms. Carol Yu and Mr. Liankui Hu. One third of the directors (or, if their number is not a multiple of three (3),
the number nearest to but not greater than one third) will retire from office and stand for election every year at our annual general
meeting of shareholders on a rotating basis. At our 2015 annual general meeting, Mr. Feijia Ji was elected as class A director to
replace the retiring director Hongfeng Sun, and Ms. Baohong Yin, our class B director was re-elected as class B director. Our chief
executive officer, which currently is Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, is not, while holding office, subject to retirement or be taken into account
in determining the number of directors to retire in any year. There are no director service contracts with us or any of our subsidiaries
and affiliated entities providing for benefits upon termination of employment.
Board Practices
Our board of directors has established an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nomination committee.
Audit Committee
Our audit committee consists of Ms. Carol Yu, Mr. Liankui Hu and Mr. Xiaoshu Chen. Ms. Carol Yu is the chairman of our
audit committee. Our board of directors has determined that all of our audit committee members satisfy the “independence”
requirements of relevant rules of the NYSE and Rule10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Ms. Carol Yu meets the
criteria of an audit committee financial expert as set forth under the applicable rules of the SEC.
Our audit committee is responsible for, among other things:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
appointing the independent auditor;
pre-approving all auditing and non-auditing services permitted to be performed by the independent auditor;
setting clear hiring policies for employees and former employees of the independent auditor;
reviewing with the independent auditor any audit problems or difficulties and management’s responses;
reviewing and approving all related party transactions on an ongoing basis;
reviewing and discussing the annual audited financial statements with management and the independent auditor;
reviewing and discussing with management and the independent auditor major issues regarding accounting principles and
financial statement presentations;
88
•
•
•
•
•
reviewing reports prepared by management relating to significant financial reporting issues and judgments;
discussing earnings press releases with management, as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided to
analysts and rating agencies;
reviewing with management and the independent auditor the effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives, as well as off-
balance sheet structures, on our financial statements;
discussing policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management with management, internal auditors and the
independent auditor;
timely reviewing reports from management regarding all critical accounting policies and practices to be used by our
company, all alternative treatments of financial information within U.S. GAAP that have been discussed with management
and all other material written communications between the independent auditor and management;
•
establishing procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received from our employees regarding
accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, and the confidential, anonymous submission by our
employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters;
•
•
•
•
annually reviewing and reassessing the adequacy of our audit committee charter;
such other matters that are specifically delegated to our audit committee by our board of directors from time to time;
meeting separately, periodically, with management, internal auditors and the independent auditor; and
reporting regularly to the full board of directors.
Compensation Committee
Our compensation committee consists of Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, Ms. Carol Yu and Mr. Liankui Hu. Mr. Zhengdong Zhu is the
chairman of our compensation committee. Under Section 303A.00 of the NYSE’s Listed Company Manual, a foreign private issuer is
permitted to follow “home country practice” in relation to the composition of its compensation committee. In this regard, we have
elected to adopt the practices of our home country, the Cayman Islands, which does not require that any of the members of a
company’s compensation committee be independent directors. Our board of directors has determined that Ms. Carol Yu and
Mr. Liankui Hu satisfy the “independence” requirements of relevant rules of the NYSE and Rule10A-3 under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Our chairman and chief executive officer, Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, does not meet the
definition of independence under such applicable rules.
Our compensation committee is responsible for:
•
•
•
•
•
•
reviewing and approving our overall compensation policies;
reviewing and approving corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of our chief executive officer,
evaluating our chief executive officer’s performance in light of those goals and objectives, reporting the results of such
evaluation to the board of directors and determining our chief executive officer’s compensation level based on this
evaluation;
determining the compensation level of our other executive officers;
making recommendations to the board of directors with respect to our incentive-compensation plan and equity-based
compensation plans;
administering our equity-based compensation plans in accordance with the terms thereof; and
such other matters that are specifically delegated to the compensation committee by our board of directors from time to
time.
89
Nomination Committee
Our nomination committee consists of Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, Mr. Liankui Hu and Mr. Xiaoshu Chen. Mr. Zhengdong Zhu is the
chairman of the nomination committee. Under the relevant NYSE rules, a foreign private issuer is permitted to follow “home country
practice” in relation to the composition of its nomination committee. In this regard, we have elected to adopt the practices of our
home country, the Cayman Islands, which does not require that any of the members of a company’s nomination committee be
independent directors. Our board of directors has determined that Mr. Liankui Hu and Mr. Xiaoshu Chen satisfy the “independence”
requirements of the relevant rules of the NYSE and Rule10A-3 under the Exchange Act. Our chairman and chief executive officer,
Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, does not meet the definition of independence under such applicable rules.
Our nomination committee is responsible for, among other things:
•
•
•
seeking and evaluating qualified individuals to become new directors as needed;
reviewing and making recommendations to the board of directors regarding the independence and suitability of each board
member for continued service; and
evaluating the nature, structure and composition of other board committees.
Corporate Governance
Our board of directors has adopted a code of ethics, which is applicable to our senior executive and financial officers. In
addition, our board of directors has adopted a code of conduct, which is applicable to all of our directors, officers, employees and
advisors. We have made our code of ethics and our code of conduct publicly available on our website. In addition, our board of
directors has adopted a set of corporate governance guidelines. The guidelines reflect certain guiding principles with respect to our
board’s structure, procedures and committees. The guidelines are not intended to change or interpret any law, or our second amended
and restated memorandum of association and articles of association.
Interested Transactions
A director may vote with respect to any contract or transaction in which he or she is interested, provided that the nature of the
interest of any director in such contract or transaction is disclosed by him or her at or prior to its consideration and any vote in that
matter.
D. Employees
We had 1,118, 1,309 and 1,379 full-time employees as of September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. In addition to the
above full-time employees, we had 91 part-time employees as of September 30, 2015, of whom 80 are tutors.
As required by PRC regulations, our full-time employees in the PRC participate in a government mandated employee benefits
plan, pursuant to which certain pension benefits, medical care, employee housing fund and other welfare benefits are provided to our
employees. PRC labor regulations require that our PRC subsidiaries and affiliated entities make contributions to the government for
these benefits based on certain percentages of the employees’ salaries. We have no legal obligation for the benefits beyond the
contributions made. The total amounts for such employee benefits, which were expensed as incurred, were approximately $3.9
million, $5.3 million and $6.4 million for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
We recognize as expenses obligations for contributions to employee benefits plans for full-time employees in Hong Kong,
including contributions payable under the Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance. The total amount for our Hong
Kong employee benefits was approximately $2,000, $2,400 and $2,800 for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and
2015, respectively.
We recognize as expenses obligations for contributions to employee benefits plans for employees in United States. The total
amount for our United States employee benefits was approximately $nil, $5,100 and $6,800 for the fiscal years ended September 30,
2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
We believe that we maintain a good working relationship with our employees and we have not experienced significant labor
disputes. Our employees have not entered into any collective bargaining agreements.
90
We view staff training as essential for the development of our human resources and our growth. We aim to provide our staff at
all levels with the skills and knowledge relevant to their jobs and their career development as well as to improve their work
efficiency. We have both routine and developmental training programs for our staff. Routine training includes our orientation
program for new employees and on-the-job training. Developmental training is geared towards staff promotion and providing updated
or new course information.
Our staff training is mainly conducted in-house. From time to time, we also engage external trainers with the relevant expertise
to train our staff in areas such as customer service and software development.
E. Share Ownership
The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership, within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act, of our ordinary shares as of January 18, 2016, the latest practicable date by:
•
•
our directors and executive officers as a group;
each person known to us to own beneficially more than 5% of our ordinary shares;
Directors and Executive Officers:
Zhengdong Zhu (3)
Baohong Yin (4)
Xiaoshu Chen (5)
Mark Marostica
Philip Chan
Feijia Ji
Annabelle Yu Long
Liankui Hu
Carol Yu
Directors and Executive Officers Combined
Principal Shareholders:
Champion Education Holdings Limited (6)
Champion Shine Trading Limited (7)
YM Investment Limited, Managecorp Limited and Ms. Veronica
Lam Lai Ming (8)
Ordinary Shares
Beneficially Owned
Number (1)
Percent (2)
55,703,685
55,703,685
2,119,800
*
*
*
*
*
*
58,752,812
39.41%
39.41%
1.50%
*
*
*
*
*
*
41.57%
46,396,800
9,256,885
32.83%
6.55%
23,515,460
16.64%
Beneficially owns less than 1% of our outstanding ordinary shares.
*
(1) The number of ordinary shares beneficially owned by each of the listed persons includes ordinary shares that such person has
the right to acquire within 60 days after January 18, 2016.
(2) Percentage of beneficial ownership for each of the persons listed above is determined by dividing (i) the number of ordinary
(3)
shares beneficially owned by such person by (ii) the total number of ordinary shares outstanding, plus the number of ordinary
shares such person has the right to acquire within 60 days after January 18, 2016. The total number of ordinary shares
outstanding as of January 18, 2016 is 141,334,349.
Includes (i) 18,525 ordinary shares and 2,309,590 ADSs representing 9,238,360 ordinary shares held by Champion Shine
Trading Limited, (ii) 46,396,800 ordinary shares held by Champion Education Holdings Limited, and (iii) 12,500 ADSs,
representing 50,000 ordinary shares, held by Baohong Yin. Each of Champion Shine Trading Limited and Champion Education
Holdings Limited is a British Virgin Islands company whose sole shareholder is Zhengdong Zhu. Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong
Yin are husband and wife. Zhengdong Zhu disclaims beneficial ownership of the 12,500 ADSs, representing 50,000 ordinary
shares, held by Baohong Yin, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest. The business address of Zhengdong Zhu is 18th
Floor, Xueyuan International Tower 1, Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China.
91
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
Includes (i) 18,525 ordinary shares and 2,309,590 ADSs representing 9,238,360 ordinary shares held by Champion Shine
Trading Limited, (ii) 46,396,800 ordinary shares held by Champion Education Holdings Limited, and (iii) 12,500 ADSs,
representing 50,000 ordinary shares, held by Baohong Yin. Zhengdong Zhu is the sole shareholder of Champion Shine Trading
Limited and Champion Education Holdings Limited. Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong Yin are husband and wife. Baohong Yin
may therefore be deemed to share the voting and dispositive power over ordinary shares held by Champion Shine Trading
Limited and Champion Education Holdings Limited. Baohong Yin disclaims beneficial ownership of the 18,525 ordinary shares
held by Champion Shine Trading Limited, the 2,309,590 ADSs, representing 9,238,360 ordinary shares held by Champion
Shine Trading Limited and 46,396,800 ordinary shares held by Champion Education Holdings Limited, in each case except to
the extent of her pecuniary interest. The business address of Baohong Yin is 18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower, 1
Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China.
Includes (i) 1,899,800 ordinary shares held by Jetlong Investments Limited, (ii) 140,000 ordinary shares held by Xiaoshu Chen,
and (iii) 80,000 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of options held by Xiaoshu Chen. Jetlong Investments Limited is a
British Virgin Islands company whose sole shareholder and sole director is Xiaoshu Chen. The business address of Xiaoshu
Chen is Southeastern University, No. 2 Sipailou, Nanjing 210096, China.
Includes 46,396,800 ordinary shares held by Champion Education Holdings Limited. Champion Education Holdings Limited is
a British Virgin Islands company, with Zhengdong Zhu holding 100% of its equity interest. The director of Champion Education
Holdings Limited is Zhengdong Zhu. The address of Champion Education Holdings Limited is P.O. Box 957, Offshore
Incorporations Centre, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
Includes 18,525 ordinary shares and 9,238,360 ordinary shares represented by 2,309,590 ADSs held by Champion Shine
Trading Limited, a British Virgin Islands company whose sole shareholder and sole director is Zhengdong Zhu. The address of
Champion Shine Trading Limited is Suites 1501-1503, 15th Floor, Gloucester Tower, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central,
Hong Kong.
(8) The number of ordinary shares beneficially owned is as of February 11, 2015 as reported in a Schedule 13D filed by YM
Investment Limited, Managecorp Limited and Ms. Veronica Lam Lai Ming on February 11, 2015. The business address YM
Investment Limited reported on the Schedule 13D is Suite 6211-12, 62nd Floor, The Center, 99 Queen’s Road, Central, Hong
Kong. The business address of Managecorp Limited reported on the Schedule 13D is Portcullis TrustNet Chambers, P.O. Box
3444, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands. The residential address of Ms. Veronica Lam Lai Ming reported on the
Schedule 13D is Flat A on 43 Floor of South Tower 8, Resident Bel-Air, Island South, 38 Bel-Air Avenue, Hong Kong.
As of September 30, 2015, of the 142,406,933 issued and outstanding ordinary shares, approximately 63.34% of those ordinary
shares are held in the U.S., all under one registered holder of record.
None of our existing shareholders has voting rights that differ from the voting rights of other shareholders.
For information on options and restricted shares granted to our existing shareholders, directors and officers, see “Item 6.B.
Director, Senior Management and Employees — Compensation — Share Options, Restricted Shares and Share Incentive Plans.”
Historical Changes in Shareholdings of our Major Shareholders
In October 2011, Bertelsmann Asia Investment AG (“BAI”) sold to CST 16,268,523 shares, of which 1,750,000 ordinary shares
are represented by 437,500 ADSs, for $28,917,300. The purchase of the shares except the ADS was completed on December 8, 2011
and the purchase of the ADSs was completed on December 9, 2011. This purchase was funded by an interest-free promissory note
(the “Note”) in the amount of $28,917,300 issued by CST and CEH to BAI on October 26, 2011. The Note was to mature on
November 29, 2014. On December 24, 2014, CST, CEH and BAI amended the Note, pursuant to which BAI extended the maturity
date of the Note from November 29, 2014 to November 29, 2015, and the Note shall bear interest at the rate of 20% per annum during
the extended period starting from November 29, 2014. As collateral for the Note, CST and CEH pledged 2,408,769 and 46,396,800 of
their ordinary shares, respectively, or 48,805,569 in total, pursuant to the Deed of Share Charge by and among CST and CEH, on the
one hand, and BAI, on the other, dated October 26, 2011, as amended on December 24, 2014 in connection with the amendment of
the Note. As of January 27, 2016, the Note has been fully paid up and the share pledge pursuant to the Deed of Share Charge has been
released.
In the period from January 1, 2015 until January 18, 2016, Champion Shine Trading Limited sold an aggregate of 5,045,796
ordinary shares as represented by 1,261,449 ADSs in the open market.
In the period from November 2014 to February 2015, YM Investment Limited acquired an aggregate of 5,837,212 ordinary
shares as represented by 1,459,303 ADS in the open market.
92
ITEM 7. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
A. Major Shareholders
Please refer to “Item 6.E. Directors, Senior Management and Employees — Share Ownership.”
B. Related Party Transactions.
Agreements among us, Beijing Champion, Champion Healthcare Education and Their Shareholders
See “Item 4.C. Information on the Company — Organizational Structure.”
C. Interests of Experts and Counsel
Not applicable.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
A. Consolidated statements and other financial information.
We have appended consolidated financial statements filed as part of this annual report. See “Item 18. Financial Statements.”
Legal Proceedings
We are not currently involved in any litigation, arbitration or administrative proceedings that could have a material adverse
effect on our financial condition or results of operations. From time to time, we may be subject to various claims and legal actions
arising in the ordinary course of business.
Dividend Policy
On November 20, 2013, November 18, 2014 and November 11, 2015, our board of directors approved and declared a special
cash dividend of $0.15, $0.20 and $0.225 per ordinary share on our outstanding ordinary shares to shareholders of record as of the
close of trading on January 8, 2014, January 6, 2015 and January 6, 2016, respectively. Holders of ADSs were accordingly entitled to
the cash dividend of $0.60, $0.80 and $0.90 per ADS, respectively.
We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands. We may rely on dividends from our subsidiaries in China.
Current PRC regulations permit our subsidiaries to pay dividends to us only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in
accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, our subsidiaries in China are required to set aside each year a
certain amount of their accumulated after-tax profits, if any, to fund certain statutory reserves. These reserves may not be distributed
as cash dividends. Further, if our subsidiaries in China incur debt on their own behalf, the instruments governing the debt may restrict
their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us. In addition, under the EIT Law, effective as of January 1, 2008, dividends
from our PRC subsidiaries to us may be subject to a 10% withholding tax, subject to reduction by an applicable tax treaty with the
PRC if they are derived from profits generated after January 1, 2008. For a detailed discussion, see “Item 3.D. Key Information —
Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure and Restrictions on Our Industry — We may rely principally on dividends
and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC subsidiaries for our cash requirements, but such dividends and other distributions
are subject to restrictions under PRC law. Limitations on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to transfer funds to us could materially
and adversely affect our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions, pay dividends, and otherwise fund and conduct our
businesses,” “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — We may not be able to obtain certain treaty benefits on dividends paid to
us by our PRC subsidiaries through our Hong Kong Subsidiaries,” and “Item 5.A. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects —
Operating Results — Description of Key Line Items — Taxation — Enterprise Income Tax.”
Our Board of Directors will, on a yearly basis, consider continuing to pay cash dividends in the future. Any future determination
to pay dividends, if any, will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will be based upon our future operations and
earnings, capital requirements and surplus, general financial condition, shareholders’ interests, contractual restrictions, market
conditions and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant.
Holders of our ADSs will be entitled to receive dividends, if any, subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, to the same
extent as the holders of our ordinary shares. Cash dividends will be paid to the depositary in U.S. dollars, which will distribute them
to the holders of ADSs according to the terms of the deposit agreement. Other distributions, if any, will be paid by the depositary to
the holders of ADSs in any means it deems legal, fair and practical.
93
B. Significant Changes
Except as disclosed elsewhere in this annual report, we have not experienced any significant changes since the date of our
audited financial statements included in this report.
ITEM 9. THE OFFER AND LISTING
A. Offer and listing details.
Price Range of Our ADSs
The following table sets forth the monthly high and low trading prices of our ADSs on the NYSE for the periods indicated:
Annual Highs and Lows
Fiscal Year 2011
Fiscal Year 2012
Fiscal Year 2013
Fiscal Year 2014
Fiscal Year 2015
Quarterly Highs and Lows
First Fiscal Quarter of 2014
Second Fiscal Quarter of 2014
Third Fiscal Quarter of 2014
Fourth Fiscal Quarter of 2014
First Fiscal Quarter of 2015
Second Fiscal Quarter of 2015
Third Fiscal Quarter of 2015
Fourth Fiscal Quarter of 2015
Monthly Highs and Lows
2015
August
September
October
November
December
January (through January 20, 2016)
High
Low
$ 5.48
$ 4.15
$11.49
$28.75
$22.00
$21.15
$28.75
$20.48
$17.65
$18.78
$19.48
$22.00
$16.33
$ 1.85
$ 1.80
$ 3.08
$10.66
$ 7.85
$10.66
$15.46
$13.85
$13.50
$12.31
$14.65
$15.23
$ 7.85
$14.00
$13.30
$15.36
$16.96
$15.83
$14.11
$ 7.85
$ 9.76
$12.37
$13.59
$13.87
$11.20
On January 20, 2016, the closing sale price of our ADSs as reported on the NYSE was $11.50 per ADS.
B. Plan of Distribution
Not applicable.
C. Markets
See Item 9.A. above.
D. Selling Shareholders
Not applicable.
E. Dilution
Not applicable.
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F. Expenses of the Issue
Not applicable.
ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A. Share capital
Not applicable.
B. Memorandum and Articles of Association
We incorporate by reference into this annual report the description of our second amended and restated memorandum of
association and articles of association contained in “Description of Share Capital” of our F-1 registration statement (File No. 333-
152167) originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 7, 2008, as amended.
Differences in Corporate Law
China Distance Education Holdings Limited was incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability in the Cayman
Islands in January 2008 under the Companies Law of the Cayman Islands, or the Company Law. Our corporate affairs are governed
by our second amended and restated memorandum of association and articles of association, the Cayman Islands Companies Law and
the common law of the Cayman Islands.
The Companies Law is modeled after similar laws in the United Kingdom but does not follow recent changes in United
Kingdom laws. In addition, the Companies Law differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set
forth below is a summary of the significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Law applicable to us and the laws
applicable to companies incorporated in the United States.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. A merger of two or more constituent companies under Cayman Islands law requires a plan
of merger or consolidation to be approved by the directors of each constituent company and authorization by (a) a special resolution
of the shareholders and (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association.
A merger between a Cayman parent company and its Cayman subsidiary or subsidiaries does not require authorization by a
resolution of shareholders of that Cayman subsidiary if a copy of the plan of merger is given to every member of that Cayman
subsidiary to be merged unless that member 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 consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest over a constituent company is required unless this requirement
is waived by a court in the Cayman Islands.
Save in certain circumstances, a dissentient shareholder of a Cayman constituent company is entitled to payment of the fair
value of his shares upon dissenting to a merger or consolidation. The exercise of appraisal rights will preclude the exercise of any
other rights save for the right to seek relief on the grounds that the merger or consolidation is void or unlawful.
In addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the
arrangement is approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be
made, and who must, in addition, represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be,
that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening of the
meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting
shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to
approve the arrangement if it determines that:
•
•
•
•
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;
the arrangement is such that may be reasonably approved by an intelligent and honest man of that class acting in respect of
his interest; and
the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Law.
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When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares within four months, the offeror may, within a two-
month period commencing on the expiration of such four month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such
shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed in
the case of an offer which has been so approved unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or collusion.
If an arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved, the dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal
rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to receive
payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.
Shareholders’ Suits. In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff and a derivative action may not be brought by a
minority shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in the Cayman
Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:
•
•
•
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 its authority, could be effected duly if authorized by more than a
simple majority vote which has not been obtained; and
those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.”
Corporate Governance . Cayman Islands laws do not restrict transactions with directors, requiring only that directors exercise a
duty of care and owe a fiduciary duty to the companies for which they serve. Under our second amended and restated memorandum
of association and articles of association, subject to any separate requirement for audit committee approval under the applicable rules
of the NYSE or unless disqualified by the chairman of the relevant board meeting, so long as a director discloses the nature of his
interest in any contract or arrangement which he is interested in, such a director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed
contract or arrangement in which such director is interested and may be counted in the quorum at such meeting.
C. Material Contracts
We have not entered into any material contracts other than in the ordinary course of business and other than those described in
“Item 4. Information on the Company”, “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions” or elsewhere in this annual
report on Form 20-F.
D. Exchange Controls
Regulation of Foreign Exchange
The PRC government imposes restrictions on the convertibility of the Renminbi and on the collection and use of foreign
currency by PRC entities. Under current regulations, the Renminbi is convertible for current account transactions, which include
dividend distributions, interest payments, and the import and export of goods and services. Conversion of Renminbi into foreign
currency and foreign currency into Renminbi for capital account transactions, such as direct investment, portfolio investment and
loans, however, is still generally subject to the prior approval of SAFE.
Under current PRC regulations, foreign-invested enterprises such as our PRC subsidiaries are required to apply to SAFE for a
Foreign Exchange Registration Certificate for Foreign-Invested Enterprise. With such a certificate, a foreign-invested enterprise may
open foreign exchange bank accounts at banks authorized to conduct foreign exchange business by SAFE and may buy, sell and remit
foreign exchange through such banks, subject to documentation and approval requirements. Foreign-invested enterprises are required
to open and maintain separate foreign exchange accounts for capital account transactions and current account transactions. In
addition, there are restrictions on the amount of foreign currency that foreign-invested enterprises may retain in such accounts.
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Regulation of Foreign Exchange Registration of Offshore Investment by PRC Residents
Pursuant to the SAFE Notice on the Administration of Foreign Exchange Involved in Overseas Investment, Financing and
Round-Trip Investment Conducted by Domestic Residents through Special-Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, which became
effective as of July 4, 2014, a PRC Resident, including both PRC domestic institutions and PRC domestic individual residents, shall
register with the local branch of SAFE before it establishes or controls a company outside of China with the domestic or overseas
assets or equity they legally hold for the purpose of investment and financing and conducting roundtrip investment in China. Such a
company located outside of China is referred to as an offshore special purpose vehicle. Under SAFE Circular 37, failure to comply
with the registration procedures set forth above may result in the penalties, including fine and imposition of restrictions on a PRC
subsidiary’s foreign exchange activities. Prior to the implementation of Circular 37, if a PRC resident contributed domestic legitimate
assets or interests into a Special-Purpose Vehicle without completing the foreign exchange registration of overseas investments as
required, he or she shall submit an explanatory letter to the local branch of SAFE. The local branch of SAFE shall, under the principle
of legality and legitimacy, conduct supplementary registration, and impose administrative punishment on those violating the
administrative regulations on foreign exchange according to the applicable laws.
As a Cayman Islands company, we are considered a foreign entity in China. If we purchase the assets or equity interests of a
PRC company owned by PRC residents in exchange for our equity interests, such PRC residents will be subject to the registration
procedures described in SAFE Circular 37. Moreover, PRC residents who are beneficial holders of our shares are required to register
with SAFE in connection with their investment in us.
Dividend Distributions
See “Item 8.A. Financial Information — Dividend Policy” in connection with our policy regarding dividend distributions. See
also “Item 3.D. Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our ADS — You may not receive distributions on our ordinary
shares or any value for them if such distribution is illegal or if any required government approval cannot be obtained in order to make
such distribution available to you.”
E. Taxation
The following is a general summary of the material Cayman Islands, U.S. federal and People’s Republic of China income tax
consequences relevant to an investment in our ADSs and ordinary shares. The discussion is not intended to be, nor should it be
construed as, legal or tax advice to any particular prospective purchaser or current holders of our ADSs. The discussion is based on
laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this annual report, all of which are subject to change or different
interpretations, possibly with retroactive effect. The discussion does not address United States state or local tax laws, or tax laws of
jurisdictions other than the Cayman Islands, the People’s Republic of China and the United States.
Cayman Islands Taxation
The Cayman Islands currently levies no taxes on individuals or corporations based upon profits, income, gains or appreciations
and there is no taxation in the nature of inheritance tax or estate duty or withholding tax applicable to us or to any holder of ADSs or
ordinary shares. There are no other taxes likely to be material to us levied by the Government of the Cayman Islands except for stamp
duties which may be applicable on instruments executed in, or after execution brought within the jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands.
No stamp duty is payable in the Cayman Islands on transfers of shares of Cayman Islands companies except those which hold
interests in land in the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands is a party to a dual tax treaty entered into with the United Kingdom in
2010 but is otherwise is not party to any double tax treaties, except for a dual tax treaty entered into with the United Kingdom in
2010. There are no exchange control regulations or currency restrictions in the Cayman Islands.
Pursuant to Section 6 of the Tax Concessions Law (1999 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, we have obtained an undertaking
from the Governor-in-Cabinet:
•
•
that no law which is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax to be levied on profits or income or gains or
appreciations shall apply to CDEL Cayman or its operations; and
that the aforesaid tax or any tax in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax shall not be payable on the shares, debentures
or other obligations of CDEL Cayman.
The undertaking for CDEL Cayman is for a period of twenty years from January 29, 2008.
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People’s Republic of China Taxation
In 2007 China passed a new Enterprise Income Tax Law, or the EIT Law, and its implementing rules, both of which became
effective on January 1, 2008. The EIT Law created a new “resident enterprise” classification, which, if applied to us, would impose a
10% withholding tax on dividends payable to our non-PRC enterprise shareholders and with respect to gains derived by our non-PRC
enterprise shareholders from disposition of our shares or ADSs. The EIT Law and its implementing rules are unclear as to how to
determine a PRC “resident enterprise” status for non-Chinese enterprise or enterprise group controlled entities. See “Item 3.D. Key
Information — Risk Factors — Under China’s EIT Law, we may be classified as a ‘resident enterprise’ of China. Such classification
could result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders.”
If we are not deemed as a resident enterprise, then dividends payable to our non-PRC shareholders and gains from disposition of
our shares of ADSs by our non-PRC shareholders will not be subject to PRC income tax withholding.
United States Federal Income Taxation
This discussion describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. Holders (as defined below) of the purchase,
ownership and disposition of our ADSs or ordinary shares. This discussion does not address any aspect of U.S. federal gift or estate
tax, the state, local or non-U.S. tax or the Medicare tax consequences of an investment in our ADSs and ordinary shares. This
discussion does not apply to U.S. Holders who are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
dealers in securities or currencies;
traders in securities that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for securities holdings;
banks or certain financial institutions;
insurance companies;
tax-exempt organizations;
partnerships or other entities treated as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes or
persons holding ADSs or ordinary shares through any such entities;
regulated investments companies or real estate investment trusts;
persons that hold ADSs or ordinary shares as part of a hedge, straddle, constructive sale, conversion transaction or other
integrated investment;
persons whose functional currency for tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar;
persons liable for alternative minimum tax; or
persons who actually or constructively own 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our shares
entitled to vote (including ADSs and ordinary shares).
This discussion is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which we refer to in this discussion as the
Code, its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations promulgated thereunder, published rulings and court decisions, all as
of the date hereof. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. In addition, this discussion relies on our
assumptions regarding the value of our ADSs and ordinary shares and the nature of our business over time. Finally, this discussion is
based in part, upon representations of the depositary and the assumptions that each obligation in the deposit agreement and any
related agreement will be performed in accordance with its terms.
Prospective investors are urged to consult their own tax advisor concerning the particular U.S. federal income tax
consequences to them of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our ADSs and ordinary shares, as well as the
consequences to them arising under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.
For purposes of the U.S. federal income tax discussion below, you are a “U.S. Holder” if you beneficially own ADSs or
ordinary shares as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code and are:
•
•
An individual citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, that was created or organized in or under the laws of the United
States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
98
•
•
an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or
a trust if (a) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more
U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (b) the trust has a valid election in effect
to be treated as a U.S. person.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, income earned through a U.S. or non-U.S. partnership or other flow-through entity is
attributed to its owners. Accordingly, if a partnership or other flow-through entity holds ADSs or ordinary shares, the tax treatment of
the holder will depend on the status of the partner or other owner and the activities of the partnership or other flow-through entity.
Dividends on ADSs and ordinary shares
Subject to the “Passive Foreign Investment Company” discussion below, if we make cash distributions and you are a U.S.
Holder, the gross amount of any distributions with respect to your ADSs and ordinary shares (including the amount of any taxes
withheld therefrom) will be includible in your gross income on the day you actually or constructively receive such income as
dividend income if the distributions are made from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, calculated according to U.S.
federal income tax principles. We do not intend to calculate our earnings and profits according to U.S. federal income tax principles.
Accordingly, distributions on our ADSs and ordinary shares, if any, will generally be reported to you as dividend distributions for
U.S. tax purposes.
Corporations will not be entitled to claim a dividends-received deduction with respect to distributions made by us. Dividends
may constitute foreign source passive income for purposes of the U.S. foreign tax credit rules. You should consult your own tax
advisors as to your ability, and the various limitations on your ability, to claim foreign tax credits in connection with the receipt of
dividends.
Sales and other dispositions of ADSs or ordinary shares
Subject to the “Passive Foreign Investment Company” discussion below, when you sell or otherwise dispose of ADSs or
ordinary shares, you will recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale
or other disposition and your adjusted tax basis in the ADSs or ordinary shares. Any such gain or losses that you recognize will be
treated as U.S. source income for foreign tax credit limitation purposes. Your adjusted tax basis will equal the amount you paid for
the ADSs or ordinary shares. Any gain or loss you recognize will be long-term capital gain or loss if your holding period in our ADSs
or ordinary shares is more than one year at the time of disposition. If you are a non-corporate U.S. Holder, including an individual,
any such long-term capital gain will be taxed at preferential rates. Your ability to deduct capital losses will be subject to various
limitations.
Passive foreign investment company
In general, we will be classified as a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, in any taxable year if either: (a) the average
quarterly value of our gross assets that produce passive income or are held for the production of passive income is at least 50% of the
average quarterly value of our total gross assets (the “asset test”) or (b) 75% or more of our gross income for the taxable year is
passive income (such as certain dividends, interest or royalties). For this purpose, we will be treated as owning our proportionate
share of the assets and earning our proportionate share of the income of any other corporation in which we own, directly or indirectly,
at least 25% (by value) of the stock. For purposes of the asset test: (a) any cash and cash invested in short-term, interest-bearing, debt
instruments or bank deposits that are readily convertible into cash will generally count as producing passive income or held for the
production of passive income, and (b) the total value of our assets is calculated based on our market capitalization.
We believe that we were not a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes for our taxable year ended September 30, 2015.
However, the application of the PFIC rules is subject to ambiguity in several respects, and, in addition, PFIC status is tested each year
and depends on the composition of our assets and income and the value of our assets from time to time. Since we currently hold, and
expect to continue to hold, a substantial amount of cash and other passive assets and, since the value of our assets is to be determined
in large part by reference to the market prices of our ADSs and ordinary shares, which is likely to fluctuate over time, there can be no
assurance that we will not be a PFIC in any future taxable year.
99
If we were a PFIC for any taxable year during which you held ADSs or ordinary shares, certain adverse U.S. federal income tax
rules would apply. You would generally be subject to additional taxes and interest charges on certain “excess distributions” we make
and on any gain realized on the disposition or deemed disposition of your ADSs or ordinary shares, regardless of whether we continue
to be a PFIC in the year in which you receive an “excess distribution” or dispose of or are deemed to have disposed of, your ADSs or
ordinary shares. Distributions in respect of your ADSs or ordinary shares during a taxable year would generally constitute “excess
distributions” if, in the aggregate, they exceed 125% of the average amount of distributions with respect to your ADSs or ordinary
shares over the three preceding taxable years or, if shorter, the portion of your holding period before such taxable year.
To compute the tax on “excess distributions” or any gain, (a) the “excess distribution” or the gain would be allocated ratably to
each day in your holding period, (b) the amount allocated to the current year and any tax year prior to the first taxable year in which
we were a PFIC would be taxed as ordinary income in the current year, (c) the amount allocated to other taxable years would be
taxable at the highest applicable marginal rate in effect for that year, and (d) an interest charge at the rate for underpayment of taxes
for any period described under (c) above would be imposed on the resulting tax liability on the portion of the “excess distribution” or
gain that is allocated to such period.
Under certain attribution rules, if we are a PFIC, you will be deemed to own your proportionate share of lower-tier PFICs, and
will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on (i) a distribution on the shares of a lower-tier PFIC and (ii) a disposition of shares of a
lower-tier PFIC, both as if you directly held the shares of such lower-tier PFIC.
If we were a PFIC in any year, as a U.S. Holder, you will generally be required to file an annual return on IRS Form 8621
regarding your ADSs and ordinary shares. If we are or become a PFIC, you should consult with your tax adviser regarding reporting
requirements with regard to your ADSs and ordinary shares. If we were a PFIC in any year, you would generally be able to avoid the
“excess distribution” rules described above by making a timely “mark-to-market” election with respect to your ADSs provided our
ADSs are “marketable.” Our ADSs will be “marketable” as long as they remain regularly traded on a national securities exchange,
such as the NYSE. If you made this election in a timely fashion, you would generally recognize as ordinary income or ordinary loss
the difference between your adjusted tax basis in the ADSs and their value on the last day of that taxable year. Any ordinary income
resulting from this election would generally be taxed at ordinary income rates. Any ordinary losses would be limited to the extent of
the net amount of previously included income as a result of the mark-to-market election, if any. Your basis in the ADSs would be
adjusted to reflect any such income or loss. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding potential advantages and
disadvantages to you of making a “mark-to-market” election with respect to your ADSs. The mark-to-market election will not be
available for any lower tier PFIC that is deemed owned pursuant to the attribution rules discussed above.
Alternatively, a U.S. Holder of stock in a PFIC may make a so-called “Qualified Electing Fund” election to avoid the PFIC rules
regarding “excess” distribution and gain described above. A U.S. Holder that makes such an election would include in income for a
taxable year its pro rata share of the corporation’s income for the taxable year. However, we do not intend to provide you with the
information you would need to make or maintain a “Qualified Electing Fund” election and you will, therefore, not be able to make or
maintain such an election with respect to your ADSs or ordinary shares.
U.S. information reporting and backup withholding rules
Dividend payments with respect to the ADSs and ordinary shares and the proceeds received on the sale or other disposition of
ADSs and ordinary shares may be subject to information reporting to the IRS and to backup withholding (currently imposed at a rate
of 28%). Backup withholding will not apply, however, if you (a) are a corporation or come within certain other exempt categories
and, when required, can demonstrate that fact or (b) provide a taxpayer identification number, certify as to no loss of exemption from
backup withholding and otherwise comply with the applicable backup withholding rules. To establish your status as an exempt
person, you will be required to provide certification on IRS Form W-9. Any amounts withheld from payments to you under the
backup withholding rules that exceed your U.S. federal income tax liability will be allowed as a refund or a credit against your U.S.
federal income tax liability, provided that you furnish the required information to the IRS. Certain individuals holding the ADSs or
ordinary shares other than in an account at a U.S. financial institution may be subject to additional information reporting
requirements.
PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS OF OUR ADSS AND ORDINARY SHARES SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX
ADVISOR REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR
SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES RESULTING FROM PURCHASING, HOLDING OR DISPOSING
OF OUR ADSS AND ORDINARY SHARES, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF THE TAX LAWS OF
ANY STATE, LOCAL OR NON-US JURISDICTION AND INCLUDING ESTATE, GIFT AND INHERITANCE LAWS.
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F. Dividends and Paying Agents
Not applicable.
G. Statement by Experts.
Not applicable.
H. Documents on Display
We previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission our registration statement on Form F-1 (as amended) to
register our ordinary shares in relation to our initial public offering and our registration statement on Form F-3 (as amended) to
register our ordinary shares in relation to a follow-on public offering.
We have filed this annual report on Form 20-F with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended. Statements made in this annual report as to the contents of any document referred to are not necessarily
complete. With respect to each such document filed as an exhibit to this annual report, reference is made to the exhibit for a more
complete description of the matter involved, and each such statement shall be deemed qualified in its entirety by such reference.
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and file reports and other information with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Reports and other information which we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including
this annual report on Form 20-F, may be inspected and copied at the public reference room of the Securities and Exchange
Commission at 100 F Street, N.E. Washington D.C. 20549.
You can also obtain copies of this annual report on Form 20-F by mail from the Public Reference Section of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. Additionally, copies of this material may be
obtained from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov . The Commission’s telephone number
is 1-800-SEC-0330.
I. Subsidiary Information
For a listing of our subsidiaries, see “Item 4. Information on the Company — C. Organizational Structure.”
ITEM 11. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Interest Rate Risk
Our exposure to interest rate risk primarily relates to our interest income generated by excess cash, which is mostly held in
interest-bearing bank deposits and AAA rated money market funds, as of the date of this annual report. We have not used derivative
financial instruments in our investment portfolio. We have not been exposed, nor do we anticipate being exposed, to material risks
due to changes in market interest rates. However, our future interest income may fall short of expectations due to changes in market
interest rates.
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Foreign Currency Risk
Substantially all of our revenues and expenditures are denominated in Renminbi. As a result, fluctuations in the exchange rate
between the U.S. dollars and Renminbi will affect our financial results in U.S. dollars terms without giving effect to any underlying
change in our business or results of operations. The Renminbi’s exchange rate with the U.S. dollar and other currencies is affected by,
among other things, changes in China’s political and economic conditions and China’s foreign exchange policies. The People’s Bank
of China regularly intervenes in the foreign exchange market to limit fluctuations in Renminbi exchange rate and achieve certain
exchange rate targets, and through such intervention kept the U.S. dollar-Renminbi exchange rate relatively stable within a very
narrow range against the U.S. dollar (remaining within 1% of its July 2008 high) for almost two years from July 2008. On June 20,
2010, the People’s Bank of China announced that the PRC government would further reform the Renminbi exchange rate regime and
increase the flexibility of the exchange rate. On March 15, 2014, the People’s Bank of China announced that it expanded the daily
RMB against U.S. dollar trading band of the inter-bank spot foreign exchange market from 1% to 2% as of March 17, 2014, to allow
Renminbi to move more freely and better reflect market supply and demand. On August 11, 12 and 13, 2015, the People’s Bank of
China significantly devalued the Renminbi by fixing its price against the U.S. dollar 1.9%, 1.6%, and 1.1% lower than the previous
day’s value, respectively. There remains significant international pressure on the PRC government to adopt a substantial liberalization
of its currency policy, which could result in a further and more significant change in the value of the Renminbi against the U.S.
dollar.
To the extent that we need to convert our U.S. dollar denominated cash balance into Renminbi for our operations, appreciation
of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar would have an adverse effect on the Renminbi amount we receive from the conversion.
Assuming we had converted the U.S. dollar denominated cash balance of $11.6 million as of September 30, 2015 into Renminbi at
the exchange rate of $1.00 for RMB6.3556 as of September 30, 2015, this cash balance would have been RMB73.9 million.
Assuming a further 1.0% appreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar, this cash balance would have decreased to RMB73.1
million as of September 30, 2015.
Very limited hedging transactions are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have
not entered into any hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide
to enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these hedging transactions may be limited and we
may not be able to successfully hedge our exposure at all. In addition, our currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC
exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert Renminbi into foreign currency.
ITEM 12. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES
A. Debt Securities.
Not applicable.
B. Warrants and Rights.
Not applicable.
C. Other Securities.
Not applicable.
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D. American Depositary Shares.
Fees and Charges Payable by a Holder of American Depositary Receipts
Persons depositing shares are charged a fee for each issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from distributions of
shares, share dividends, share splits, exercise of rights, bonus and rights distributions and other property, and for each surrender of
ADSs in exchange for deposited securities. The fee in each case is US$5.00 for each 100 ADSs, or any portion thereof, issued or
surrendered. The depositary also charges a fee of US$2.00 per 100 ADSs for distribution of cash proceeds pursuant to a cash
distribution, sale of rights and other entitlements or otherwise. The depositary may also charge an annual fee of US$2.00 per 100
ADSs for the operation and maintenance costs in administering the facility. Persons depositing shares also may be charged the
following expenses:
•
Expenses incurred by the depositary, the custodian or their respective agents in connection with inspections of the relevant
share register maintained by the local registrar and/or performing due diligence on the central securities depository: an
annual fee of US$1.00 per 100 ADSs (such fee to be assessed against holders of record as at the date or dates set by the
depositary as it sees fit and collected at the discretion of the depositary, subject to our prior consent, by billing such holders
for such fee or by deducting such fee from one or more cash dividends or other cash distributions)
•
Taxes and other governmental charges incurred by the depositary or the custodian on any ADR or ordinary shares
underlying an ADR, including any applicable interest and penalties thereon, and any share transfer or other taxes and other
governmental charges
•
•
•
•
•
Cable, telex, electronic transmission and delivery expenses
Transfer or registration fees for the registration of transfer of deposited securities on any applicable register in connection
with the deposit or withdrawal of deposited securities including those of a central depository for securities (where
applicable)
Expenses of the depositary in connection with the conversion of foreign currency into U.S. dollars
Fees and expenses incurred by the depositary in connection with compliance with exchange control regulations and other
regulatory requirements applicable to the shares, deposited securities and ADSs; and
Any other fees, charges, costs or expenses that may be incurred by the depositary from time to time
In the case of cash distributions, fees are generally deducted from the cash being distributed. Service fees may be collected from
holders of ADSs in a manner determined by the depositary with respect to ADSs registered in the name of investors (whether
certificated or in book-entry form) and ADSs held in brokerage and custodian accounts (via DTC). In the case of distributions other
than cash (i.e., stock dividends, rights, etc.), the depositary charges the applicable ADS record date holder concurrent with the
distribution. In the case of ADSs registered in the name of the investor (whether certificated or in book-entry form), the depositary
sends invoices to the applicable record date ADS holders.
In the case of ADSs held in brokerage and custodian accounts (via DTC), the depositary may, if permitted by the settlement
systems provided by DTC, collect the fees through such settlement systems (whose nominee is the registered holder of the ADSs held
in DTC) from the brokers and custodians holding ADSs in their DTC accounts. The brokers and custodians who hold their clients’
ADSs in DTC accounts in such case may in turn charge their clients’ accounts the amount of the service fees paid to the depositary.
In the event of refusal to pay the service fee, the depositary may, under the terms of the deposit agreement, refuse the requested
service until payment is received or may set off the amount of the service fee from any distribution to be made to the ADS holder.
If any tax or other governmental charge is payable by the holders and/or beneficial owners of ADSs to the depositary, the
depositary, the custodian or we may withhold or deduct from any distributions made in respect of deposited securities and may sell
for the account of the holder and/or beneficial owner any or all of the deposited securities and apply such distributions and sale
proceeds in payment of such taxes (including applicable interest and penalties) or charges, with the holder and the beneficial owner
thereof remaining fully liable for any deficiency.
Fees and Other Direct and Indirect Payments Made by the Depositary
Since the commencement of our most recent fiscal year, we have received the following direct and indirect payments in the
amounts of $ 0.1 million for expenses incurred by us relating to the ADR program, including:
•
Professional fees related to the ADR program
103
ITEM 13. DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES
None.
PART II
ITEM 14. MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS
On August 16, 2010, we entered into a restricted issuance agreement with Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as
depositary, pursuant to which the depositary may issue restricted American depositary shares upon a deposit of restricted securities by
a depositor. Other than the foregoing, the rights of securities holders have not been materially modified.
ITEM 15. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our chief executive officer and co-chief financial officers, has performed an
evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of
the end of the period covered by this report, as required by Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based on that evaluation, our
chief executive officer and co-chief financial officers have concluded that, as of September 30, 2015, our disclosure controls and
procedures were effective to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file or submit under the
Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and
that the information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and
communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer and co-chief financial officers, to allow timely decisions
regarding required disclosure.
Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in
Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable
assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles, and includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records
that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of a company’s assets, (2) provide reasonable
assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles, and that a company’s receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with
authorizations of a company’s management and directors, and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely
detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of a company’s assets that could have a material effect on the consolidated
financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also,
projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of
changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies and procedures may deteriorate.
As required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and related rules as promulgated by the SEC, our management, with the
participation of our chief executive officer and our co-chief financial officers, evaluated the effectiveness of our internal control over
financial reporting based on criteria established in the framework in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, our management has concluded that
our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of September 30, 2015.
Our independent registered public accounting firm has audited our internal control over financial reporting as of September 30,
2015 and has issued an attestation report set forth below.
104
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of China Distance Education Holdings Limited
We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of China Distance Education Holdings Limited (the “Company”),
its subsidiaries, variable interest entity and the subsidiaries of its variable interest entity (collectively, the “Group”) as of
September 30, 2015, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Group’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal
control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the
accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the
Group’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).
Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control
over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control
over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating
effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the
circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company’s
principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company’s board of
directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s
internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in
reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable
assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with
authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely
detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial
statements.
Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper
management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to
the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies
or procedures may deteriorate.
In our opinion, the Group maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of
September 30, 2015, based on the criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the
consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule as of and for the year ended September 30, 2015 of the Group and
our report dated January 27, 2016 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and financial statement schedule.
/s/ Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP
Beijing, the People’s Republic of China
January 27, 2016
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no significant changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the year ended September 30, 2015 that
have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
105
ITEM 16. [RESERVED]
ITEM 16A. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT
Our audit committee consists of Ms. Carol Yu, Mr. Liankui Hu and Mr. Xiaoshu Chen. Ms. Carol Yu is the chairman of our
audit committee. Our board of directors has determined that all of our audit committee members satisfy the “independence”
requirements of relevant rules of the NYSE and Rule10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Ms. Carol Yu meets the
criteria of an audit committee financial expert as set forth under the applicable rules of the SEC.
ITEM 16B. CODE OF ETHICS
Our board of directors has adopted a code of ethics that is applicable to our senior executive and financial officers. In addition,
our board of directors adopted a code of conduct that is applicable to all of our directors, officers and employees. Our code of ethics
and our code of conduct are publicly available on our website, http://www.cdeledu.com .
ITEM 16C. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The following table sets forth the aggregate fees by categories specified below in connection with certain professional services
rendered by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP , our principal external auditors, in the fiscal year ended
September 30, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
Fiscal Year ended September 30,
2014
2015
RMB
US$
RMB
US$
Audit fees (1)
Audit-related fees (2)
Tax fees (3)
2,907,081 476,555 3,601,020 585,200
3,650,634 598,445 1,939,010 314,800
70,000 11,376
—
—
(1)
(2)
(3)
“Audit fees” means the aggregate fees billed or payable for professional services rendered by our independent auditors in
connection with the audit of our consolidated financial statements or the review of our interim consolidated financial statements
required for statutory or regulatory filings.
“Audit-related fees” means the aggregate fees billed or payable for professional services rendered by our independent auditors in
connection with the review of our interim consolidated financial statements not required for statutory or regulatory filings and
our follow-on public offering.
“Tax fees” means the aggregate fees billed or payable for tax compliance services, transfer pricing and requests for rulings or
technical advice from taxing authorities and tax planning services.
The audit committee or our board of directors is to pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit services to be
performed for us by our independent registered public accounting firm, including the fees and terms thereof (subject to the de
minimums exceptions for non-audit services described in Section 10A(i)(l)(B) of the Exchange Act which are approved by the audit
committee or our board of directors prior to the completion of the audit).
ITEM 16D. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES
None.
ITEM 16E. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS
On November 20, 2008, we adopted and publicly announced a share repurchase program approved by our board of directors.
The program originally authorized us to repurchase up to $10.0 million worth of our issued and outstanding ADSs from time to time
in open market transactions on the NYSE (or NYSE Arca, prior to February 4, 2009). Our board of directors subsequently raised the
repurchase quota on April 29, 2011 by additional $10.0 million of our ADSs (which makes the total repurchase quota under the share
repurchase program $20.0 million ADSs). The share repurchase program was extended in November 2009, November 2010, April
2011, February 2012 and February, 2013, each time for an additional 12-months. The share repurchase program expired on April 28,
2014.
106
The repurchases were made at prevailing market prices, in negotiated transactions off the market, in block trades, pursuant to
Rule 10b-18 of the Exchange Act and a 10b5-1 plan (the 10b5-1 plan allows us to repurchase our ADSs during periods in which we
may be in possession of material non-public information) or otherwise. Since the adoption of the share repurchase program on
November 20, 2008, we had repurchased 3,937,238 ADSs on the open market. In the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, we had
not repurchased any ADSs on the open market.
On August 18, 2015, we adopted and publicly announced a new share repurchase program approved by our board of directors.
The program authorized us to repurchase up to $10.0 million worth of our issued and outstanding ADSs from time to time in open
market. The share repurchase program has a one-year term and will expire on August 17, 2016. Our board of directors subsequently
raised the repurchase quota on November 11, 2015 by additional $10.0 million of our ADSs (which makes the total repurchase quota
under the share repurchase program $20.0 million ADSs). As of September 30, 2015, we repurchased 284,309 ADSs on the open
market for a consideration of $3.3 million.
Period
08/01/2015 – 08/31/2015
09/01/2015 – 09/30/2015
Total Number of
ADSs Purchased
—
284,309
Average Price
Paid Per ADS
—
11.6946
Total Number of ADSs
Purchased as Part of
Publicly Announced
Program
Approximate Dollar
Value of ADSs that
May Yet be Purchased
Under the Program
—
284,309
$
$
10.0 million
6.7 million
The repurchases are made at prevailing market prices, in negotiated transactions off the market, in block trades, pursuant to Rule
10b-18 of the Exchange Act and a 10b5-1 plan (the 10b5-1 plan allows us to repurchase our ADSs during periods in which we may
be in possession of material non-public information) or otherwise. The purchases are made subject to restrictions relating to volume,
price and timing. The timing and extent of any purchase depend upon market conditions, the trading price of our ADSs and other
factors. Our board of directors review the share repurchase program periodically and may authorize adjustment of its terms and size
accordingly.
ITEM 16F. CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
None.
ITEM 16G. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
As a foreign private issuer with ADSs listed on the NYSE we are subject to corporate governance requirements imposed by the
NYSE. Under Section 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual, in general NYSE-listed non-U.S. companies may follow their
home-country corporate governance practices in lieu of some of the NYSE corporate governance requirements. We are committed to
a high standard of corporate governance. As such, we strive to comply with most of the NYSE corporate governance practices.
However, the following are the ways in which our current corporate governance practices differ from NYSE corporate governance
requirements because the laws of Cayman Islands do not require such compliance:
•
We are not required to obtain shareholder approval for the adoption of, or material revisions to, our equity-compensation
plans where our directors consider it in the best interests of the company to do so and when the issue price of shares issued
pursuant to such plans is otherwise fair.
•
•
Our compensation committee of our board of directors is not comprised entirely of independent directors.
Our nomination committee of our board of directors is not comprised entirely of independent directors.
We may determine to voluntarily comply with one or more of the foregoing provisions as required by the NYSE Listed
Company Manual.
ITEM 16H. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Not applicable.
107
ITEM 17. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
We have elected to provide our financial statements pursuant to Item 18.
PART III
ITEM 18. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Our consolidated financial statements are included at the end of this annual report.
ITEM 19. EXHIBITS
Exhibit No.
Description of Exhibit
Index to Exhibits
1.1
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
4.10
4.11
4.12
4.13
4.14
—Form of Second Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the
Registrant*
—Form of Ordinary Share Certificate.*
—Form of Deposit Agreement between the Registrant and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as
depositary. (1)
—Form of American depositary receipt evidencing American depositary shares (included in Exhibit 2.2). (1)
—Restricted Issuance Agreement between the Registrant and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as
depositary, dated August 16, 2010.***
—Technical Support and Consultancy Services Agreement between Beijing Champion Distance Education
Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., dated May 1, 2004.*
—Equity Pledge Agreement between Beijing Champion Distance Education Technology Co., Ltd and Zhengdong
Zhu, dated May 1, 2004.*
—Equity Pledge Agreement between Beijing Champion Distance Education Technology Co., Ltd. and Baohong
Yin, dated May 1, 2004.*
—Exclusive Purchase Rights Agreement among China Distance Education Limited, Beijing Champion Hi-Tech
Co., Ltd. and Zhengdong Zhu, dated May 9, 2004.*
—Exclusive Purchase Rights Agreement among China Distance Education Limited, Beijing Champion Hi-Tech
Co., Ltd. and Baohong Yin, dated May 9, 2004.*
—Courseware License Agreement between Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. and Beijing Champion Distance
Education Technology Co., Ltd., dated August 1, 2004.*
—Software License Agreement between Beijing Champion Education Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing
Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., dated May 20, 2007.*
—Courseware Production Entrustment Agreement between Beijing Champion Education Technology Co., Ltd.
and Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., dated May 20, 2007.*
—Letter of Undertaking from Beijing Champion Distance Education Technology Co., Ltd. to Beijing Champion
Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., dated February 13, 2008.*
—Letter of Undertaking from Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong Yin to Beijing Champion Distance Education
Technology Co., Ltd., dated February 13, 2008.*
—Declaration Letter by Zhengdong Zhu, dated March 24, 2008.*
—Declaration Letter by Baohong Yin, dated March 24, 2008.*
—Power of Attorney by Zhengdong Zhu, dated March 25. 2008.*
—Power of Attorney by Baohong Yin, dated March 25, 2008.*
108
4.15
4.16
4.17
4.18
4.19
4.20
4.21
4.22
4.23
4.24
4.25
4.26
4.27
4.28
4.29
4.30
4.31
4.32
4.33
4.34
4.35
4.36
4.37
4.38
4.39
8.1
11.1
12.1
—Notice from Beijing Champion Distance Education Technology Co., Ltd. to Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd.,
Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong Yin, dated March 25, 2008.*
—Acknowledgement Letter from Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong Yin to the Registrant, dated March 25, 2008.*
—Acknowledgement Letter from Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong Yin to Beijing Champion Distance Education
Technology Co., Ltd., dated March 25, 2008.*
—Form confidentiality and non-competition agreement.*
—Incentive share plan.*
—2008 Performance Incentive Plan.*
—Amended and Restated 2008 Performance Incentive Plan (dated February 16, 2009).**
—Amended and Restated 2008 Performance Incentive Plan (dated May 21, 2012).****
—Amended and Restated Equity Pledge Agreement between Beijing Champion Distance Education Technology Co.,
Ltd. and Zhengdong Zhu, dated December 31, 2008.**
—Amended and Restated Equity Pledge Agreement between Beijing Champion Distance Education Technology Co.,
Ltd. and Baohong Yin, dated December 31, 2008.**
—Tri-party Agreement re VIE Structure among Beijing Champion Distance Education Technology Co., Ltd.,
Zhengdong Zhu and Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd, dated January 30, 2013.****
—Tri-party Agreement re VIE Structure among Beijing Champion Distance Education Technology Co., Ltd., Baohong
Yin and Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd, dated January 30, 2013.****
—Spousal Consent Letter by Zhengdong Zhu, dated January 30, 2013.****
—Spousal Consent Letter by Baohong Yin, dated January 30, 2013.****
—Deed of Undertaking from Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong Yin to our company, dated September 26, 2013.*****
—Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement between Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology
Co., Ltd. and Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., dated December 28, 2015.
—Equity Pledge Agreement among Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.,
Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong Yin, dated December 28, 2015.
—Exclusive Option Agreement among Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing
Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong Yin, dated December 28, 2015.
—Power of Attorney by Zhengdong Zhu, dated December 28. 2015.
—Power of Attorney by Baohong Yin, dated December 28. 2015.
—Letter of Undertaking from Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong Yin to Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education
Technology Co., Ltd., dated December 28. 2015.
—Letter of Undertaking from Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd. to Beijing
Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., dated December 28. 2015.
—Tri-party Agreement re VIE Structure among Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co.,
Ltd., Zhengdong Zhu, Baohong Yin and Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., dated
December 28. 2015.
—Spouse Consent Letter by Zhengdong Zhu, dated December 28. 2015.
—Spouse Consent Letter by Baohong Yin, dated December 28. 2015.
—Subsidiaries of Registrant.
—Code of Business Conduct and Ethics of the Registrant.*
—CEO Certification Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
109
12.2
13.1
13.2
15.1
15.2
—CFO Certification Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
—CEO Certification Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
—CFO Certification Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
—Consent of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP.
—Consent of Jingtian & Gongcheng.
101.INS —XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH —XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL —XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF —XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB —XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE —XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
*
**
***
****
*****
(1)
Previously filed with the Registrant’s registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-152167), as amended.
Previously filed with the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended September 30, 2008.
Previously filed with the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended September 30, 2011.
Previously filed with the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended September 30, 2012.
Previously filed with the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended September 30, 2013.
Incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-152345) filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission with respect to American depositary shares representing our ordinary shares.
110
The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and
authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.
SIGNATURE
China Distance Education Holdings Limited
Name:
Title:
Name:
Title:
/s/ Mark Marostica
Mark Marostica
Co-Chief Financial Officer
/s/ Philip Chan
Philip Chan
Co-Chief Financial Officer
Date: January 27, 2016
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CONTENTS
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2014 AND 2015
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE I
F-1
PAGE
F - 2
F - 3
F - 5
F - 6
F - 7
F - 8
F - 10
F - 53
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of China Distance Education Holdings Limited, its subsidiaries,
variable interest entity and the subsidiaries of its variable interest entity (collectively, the “Group”) as of September 30, 2014 and
2015, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, changes in equity, and cash flows for each of the
three years in the period ended September 30, 2015. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in Schedule I.
These consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule are the responsibility of the Group’s management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements and the financial statement schedule based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).
Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are
free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the
financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management,
as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our
opinion.
In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Group as of
September 30, 2014 and 2015, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended
September 30, 2015, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our
opinion, such financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a
whole, present fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the
Group’s internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2015, based on the criteria established in Internal Control-
Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report
dated January 27, 2016 expressed an unqualified opinion on the Group’s internal control over financial reporting.
/s/ Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP
Beijing, the People’s Republic of China
January 27, 2016
F-2
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
ASSETS
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Term deposits
Restricted cash
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of US$1,250 and US$158 as of
September 30, 2014 and 2015, respectively
Inventories
Prepayment and other current assets
Amount due from a related party
Deferred tax assets, current portion
Deferred cost
Total current assets
Non-current assets
Property, plant and equipment, net
Goodwill
Other intangible assets, net
Deposit for purchase of non-current assets
Other non-current assets
Total non-current assets
Total assets
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities
As of September 30,
2015
US$
2014
US$
118,075 117,899
4,720
5,702
16,637 16,312
2,800
1,637
871
449
4,853
3,749
103
—
1,508
2,116
1,248
1,163
149,613 150,229
10,721 12,916
7,429
7,689
1,078
1,384
93
94
2,128
2,375
22,016 23,891
171,629 174,120
Bank borrowing
Accrued expenses and other liabilities (including accrued expenses and other liabilities of the
consolidated VIE without recourse to China Distance Education Holdings Limited of US$21,275 and
US$24,129 as of September 30, 2014 and 2015, respectively)
Income tax payable (including income tax payable of the consolidated VIE without recourse to China
Distance Education Holdings Limited of US$3,504 and US$3,474 as of September 30, 2014 and 2015,
respectively)
16,583 16,467
22,695 25,993
4,209
4,453
Deferred revenue (including deferred revenue of the consolidated VIE without recourse to China Distance
Education Holdings Limited of US$23,319 and US$29,540 as of September 30, 2014 and 2015,
respectively)
Refundable fees (including refundable fees of the consolidated VIE without recourse to China Distance
Education Holdings Limited of US$5,199 and US$5,245 as of September 30, 2014 and 2015,
respectively)
Total current liabilities
23,423 29,563
5,199
5,245
72,109 81,721
F-3
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - continued
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
Non-current liabilities
Deferred tax liabilities, non-current portion
Total non-current liabilities
Total liabilities
Commitments and contingencies (Note 16)
Equity
Ordinary shares (par value of US$0.0001 per share at September 30, 2014 and 2015, respectively;
Authorized - 500,000,000 and 500,000,000 shares at September 30, 2014 and 2015; Issued and
outstanding - 142,752,873 and 142,406,933 shares at September 30, 2014 and 2015, respectively)
Additional paid-in capital
Accumulated other comprehensive income
Retained earnings
Total equity
Total liabilities and equity
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-4
As of September 30,
2015
US$
2014
US$
1,590
1,110
1,110
1,590
73,219 83,311
14
14
77,270 55,598
6,220
2,735
14,906 32,462
98,410 90,809
171,629 174,120
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
Sales, net of business tax, value-added tax and related surcharges
Online education services
Books and reference materials
Others
Total net revenues
Cost of sales
Cost of services
Cost of tangible goods sold
Total cost of sales
Gross profit
Operating expenses
Selling expenses
General and administrative expenses
Total operating expenses
Other operating income
Operating income
Interest income
Interest expense
Exchange gain/(loss)
Income before income taxes
Less: Income tax expense
Net income
Net income per share:
Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders
Basic
Diluted
Weighted average shares used in calculating net income per share
Basic
Diluted
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-5
Years ended September 30,
2014
US$
2013
US$
2015
US$
58,573
5,129
7,658
71,360
(27,073)
(2,844)
(29,917)
41,443
(15,673)
(9,806)
(25,479)
59
16,023
1,415
—
(77)
17,361
(3,797)
13,564
80,545
6,392
10,259
97,196
(35,187)
(4,616)
(39,803)
57,393
(21,445)
(11,645)
(33,090)
253
24,556
2,964
(291)
232
27,461
(4,052)
23,409
88,657
6,873
12,647
108,177
(41,043)
(3,300)
(44,343)
63,834
(24,186)
(13,211)
(37,397)
224
26,661
3,513
(464)
737
30,447
(5,874)
24,573
0.10
0.10
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
135,174,562 139,613,967 142,720,838
136,399,233 140,497,204 143,767,990
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(In thousands)
Net income
Other comprehensive (loss)/income - change in cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments
Comprehensive income
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-6
2013
Years ended September 30,
2014
US$ US$
13,564 23,409 24,573
1,373
(3,485)
14,937 23,334 21,088
2015
US$
(75)
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
(In thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
China Distance Education Holding Limited shareholders
Balance as of September 30, 2012
Net income for the year
Foreign currency translation adjustments
Repurchase of ordinary shares
Options exercised
Stock-based compensation expense (Note 19)
Dividends (Note 20)
Loan to optionees in connection with exercise of
options
Balance as of September 30, 2013
Net income for the year
Foreign currency translation adjustments
Repurchase of ordinary shares
Issuance of new ordinary shares (Note 12)
Options exercised
Stock-based compensation expense (Note 19)
Dividends (Note 20)
Repayment of loan to optionees in connection with
exercise of options
Balance as of September 30, 2014
Net income for the year
Foreign currency translation adjustments
Repurchase of ordinary shares
Options exercised
Stock-based compensation expense (Note 19)
Dividends (Note 20)
Repayment of loan to optionees in connection with
exercise of options
Balance as of September 30, 2015
Number of
ordinary
shares
134,386,849
—
—
(67,100)
987,392
225,000
—
—
135,532,141
—
—
—
6,000,000
1,095,732
125,000
—
—
142,752,873
—
—
(1,137,236)
123,924
667,372
—
Ordinary
shares
US$
Additional
paid-in
capital
US$
13 61,777
—
—
—
—
(93)
—
602
1
625
—
— (16,056)
—
(113)
14 46,742
—
—
—
—
—
—
— 29,088
491
—
503
—
(286)
—
—
732
14 77,270
—
—
—
—
(3,333)
—
18
—
—
1,783
— (21,182)
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
income
US$
4,922
—
1,373
—
—
—
—
—
6,295
—
(75)
—
—
—
—
—
Retained
earnings/
(Cumulative
deficits)
US$
(2,095)
13,564
—
—
—
—
—
—
11,469
23,409
—
—
—
—
—
(19,972)
—
6,220
—
(3,485)
—
—
—
—
—
14,906
24,573
—
—
—
—
(7,017)
Total
equity
US$
64,617
13,564
1,373
(93)
603
625
(16,056)
(113)
64,520
23,409
(75)
—
29,088
491
503
(20,258)
732
98,410
24,573
(3,485)
(3,333)
18
1,783
(28,199)
—
142,406,933
—
1,042
14 55,598
—
2,735
—
32,462
1,042
90,809
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-7
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash generated from operating activities:
Stock-based compensation
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
Amortization of other intangible assets
Provision of inventories
Change in allowance for doubtful accounts
Losses on disposition of property, plant and equipment
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable
(Increase) in inventories
(Increase) decrease in prepayments and other assets
Decrease (increase) in deferred tax assets
Decrease (increase) in deferred cost
(Increase) in other non-current assets
Increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities
Increase (decrease) in income tax payable
Increase in deferred revenue
Increase in refundable fees
Increase in deferred tax liabilities
(Increase) in amount due from a related party
Net cash generated from operating activities
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Maturity (purchase) of term deposits
(Placement) of restricted cash
Release of restricted cash
Acquisition of property, plant and equipment
Acquisition of other intangible assets
Payment of deposit for the acquisition of non-current assets
Net cash (used in) generated from investing activities
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Loan repayment
Bank borrowing
Issuance of new ordinary shares
Repurchase of ordinary shares
Proceeds from share options exercised by employees
Loan to optionees in connection with exercise of options
Repayment of loan to optionees in connection with exercise of options
Dividends paid to shareholders
Net cash (used in) generated from financing activities
Exchange rate effect on cash and cash equivalents
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year
F-8
Years ended September 30,
2014
US$
2015
US$
2013
US$
13,564 23,409
24,573
625
1,848
771
67
(371)
151
503
1,808
592
527
(517)
112
1,036
(89)
(420)
154
(45)
(422)
5,132
1,567
7,360
674
536
2,385
(281)
327
(370)
635
(586)
7,944
(60)
6,321
910
434
— —
32,138 44,093
1,783
2,034
437
58
(1,008)
38
(170)
(505)
(1,315)
547
43
(327)
3,450
397
7,091
229
529
(105)
37,779
7,275 (4,880)
— (16,607)
— —
(2,128) (2,241)
(271)
(452)
(370) —
4,506 (24,180)
804
(16,656)
16,405
(4,648)
(154)
(62)
(4,311)
(16,071)
— —
16,656
— 16,062
—
— 29,088
(3,333)
(93) —
18
603
491
—
(510)
(408)
1,042
1,242
295
(28,199)
(16,056) (20,258)
(29,887)
(15,659) 26,115
(3,757)
1,211
128
22,196 46,156
(176)
49,723 71,919 118,075
71,919 118,075 117,899
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - continued
(In thousands)
Supplemental schedule of cash flow information
Income tax paid
Supplemental schedule of non-cash activities
Acquisition of property, plant and equipment and other intangible assets through utilization of
deposits
Income tax reversal
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
F-9
Years ended September 30,
2015
2013
2014
US$
US$ US$
(1,539) (4,049)
(4,418)
133
—
280
782
60
37
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
China Distance Education Holdings Limited (the “Company”) was incorporated under the law of the Cayman Islands on
January 11, 2008. The Company, its subsidiaries, its consolidated variable interest entity (“VIE”) and VIE’s subsidiaries
(collectively the “Group”) are primarily engaged in providing online and offline education services, and selling related products
in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”).
As of September 30, 2015, details of the Company’s subsidiaries, its VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries were as follows:
Company
Subsidiaries:
China Distance Education
Limited (“CDEL Hong
Kong”)
Practice Enterprises Network
China International Links
Limited (“Pencil”)
DL Education Service, LLC
(“DL Education”)
Beijing Champion Distance
Education Technology Co.,
Ltd. (“Champion
Technology”)
Beijing Champion Education
Technology Co., Ltd.
(“Champion Education
Technology”)
China Healthcare Investment
Limited (“China Healthcare
Investment”)
China Healthcare Education
Limited (“China Healthcare
Education”)
Beijing Champion Accounting
Education Technology Co.,
Ltd. (“Champion
Accounting”)
Variable interest entity:
Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co.,
Ltd. (“Beijing Champion”)
Subsidiaries of variable
interest entity:
Beijing Caikaowang Company
Ltd. (“Caikaowang”)
Beijing Champion Wangge
Education Technology Co.,
Ltd. (“Champion Wangge”)
Beijing Zhengbao Yucai
Education Technology Co.,
Ltd. (“Zhengbao Yucai”)
Beijing Haidian District
Champion Training School
(“Beijing Training School”)
Beijing Champion Culture
Date of
establishment
Place of
establishment
Percentage of
legal ownership
by the Company
March 13, 2003 Hong Kong
100%
Principal activities
Investment holding and
provision of education
services
February 23, 2010 Hong Kong
100%
Inactive
September 27,2012
US
100%
Inactive
January 5, 2004
PRC
100%
Provision of technical support
and consultancy services and
course production
April 23, 2007
PRC
100%
Software licensing and course
production
May 20, 2015
BVI
100%
Inactive
July 24, 2015
Hong Kong
100%
Inactive
July 28, 2015
PRC
100%
Inactive
July 12, 2000
PRC
November 28,
2007
PRC
June 24, 2008
PRC
February 19, 2009
PRC
February 19, 2009
PRC
Provision of online education
services and sales of books
and reference materials
Provision of online education
services
Provision of online education
services
Provision of start-up training
services
Provision of online and
offline education services
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Development Co., Ltd.
(“Champion Culture”)
Nanjing Champion Vocational
Training School (“Nanjing
Training School”)
The VIE arrangements
June 03, 2015
PRC
July 03, 2015
PRC
Nil
Nil
Inactive
Inactive
There are some uncertainties as to whether applicable PRC laws and regulations prohibit foreign investors from providing
telecommunications value-added services in the PRC. As a Cayman Islands corporation, the Company is deemed a foreign legal
person under PRC laws. Accordingly, Champion Technology, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary in the PRC, as a foreign
invested company, may be deemed to be ineligible to engage in education business in the PRC.
To comply with these foreign ownership restrictions, the Company operates substantially all of its online education services
through its VIE, Beijing Champion, and the VIE’s subsidiaries in the PRC. The VIE and its subsidiaries hold leases and other
assets necessary to provide online education services and generate all of the Company’s revenues. To provide the Company
effective control over the VIE and the ability to receive substantially all of the economic benefits of the VIE and its subsidiaries,
a series of contractual arrangements were entered into amongst CDEL Hong Kong, Champion Technology, Beijing Champion
and Beijing Champion’s direct equity holders.
F-10
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION - continued
The VIE arrangements - continued
•
Agreements that transfer economic benefits to Champion Technology
Exclusive technical support and consultancy services agreement
Pursuant to the exclusive technical support and consultancy services agreement between Beijing Champion and Champion
Technology, Champion Technology has the exclusive right to provide to Beijing Champion technical and consulting
services. Champion Technology is entitled to charge Beijing Champion a service fee equal to its profit before such service
fee and tax. This agreement will remain effective until Beijing Champion ceases its operations.
Equity pledge agreement
Pursuant to the equity pledge agreement between Beijing Champion and Champion Technology, the nominee shareholders
of Beijing Champion have pledged their equity interest in Beijing Champion to Champion Technology to secure the
payment obligations of Beijing Champion under the technical support and consultancy services agreement between Beijing
Champion and Champion Technology. If Beijing Champion breaches its contractual obligations under that agreement,
Champion Technology, as the pledgee, will be entitled to certain rights, including the right to sell the pledged equity
interests. The nominee shareholders of Beijing Champion agree that, without prior written consent of Champion
Technology, they will not dispose of the pledged equity interests or create or allow any encumbrance on the pledged equity
interests that would prejudice Champion Technology’s interest. This agreement will remain effective until the discharge of
Beijing Champion’s contractual obligations under the exclusive technical support and consultancy services agreement as
described above.
Letter of undertaking from Beijing Champion’s shareholders to Champion Technology
Pursuant to this letter addressed to Champion Technology, the shareholders of Beijing Champion undertook to, unless
restricted by laws, regulations or legal procedures, (i) remit all dividends, interests, other distributions or remnant assets
after liquidation, if any, they receive from Beijing Champion to Champion Technology without compensation, after paying
the corresponding tax and any other required expenses, (ii) transfer all or part of their equity interests to CDEL Hong Kong
at a nominal or minimal purchase price, in the event CDEL Hong Kong exercises its exclusive purchase right to acquire
any or all of the equity interests in Beijing Champion, (iii) remit to Champion Technology all considerations they may
receive from CDEL Hong Kong’s acquisition of any equity interests in Beijing Champion, without compensation, after
paying the corresponding tax and any other required expenses and (iv) act in the best interest of Champion Technology.
F-11
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION - continued
The VIE arrangements - continued
•
Agreements that provide the Company effective control over Beijing Champion
Exclusive purchase right contract
Pursuant to the exclusive purchase right agreement, CDEL Hong Kong has the unconditional right to purchase the entire
equity interest in, or all the assets of Beijing Champion, for a purchase price equal to the net assets of Beijing Champion or
the minimum price permitted by PRC laws, if and when PRC laws are amended to permit such a transaction. The term of
this agreement is ten years from the date thereof and can be extended for another ten years, at the discretion of CDEL
Hong Kong. On December 19, 2014, CDEL Hong Kong decided to extend the term of this agreement for another ten years
and retroactively acknowledged the validity of this agreement for the period from May 9, 2014 to December 19, 2014.
Through the exclusive purchase right contract, each of Beijing Champion’s shareholders irrevocably granted CDEL Hong
Kong an exclusive right to acquire, at any time, for its own account or through one or more PRC individuals or entities as
nominee shareholders of its choice to replace the existing shareholders of Beijing Champion. This kick-out right reinforces
CDEL Hong Kong’s ability to direct the activities that most significantly impact Beijing Champion’s economic
performance.
Power of attorney
Pursuant to the power of attorney, the nominee shareholders of Beijing Champion each executed an irrevocable power of
attorney assigning Champion Technology or any person designated by Champion Technology as their attorney-in-fact to
vote on their behalf on all matters of Beijing Champion requiring shareholder approval under PRC laws and regulations
and the articles of association of Beijing Champion.
The Articles of Incorporation of Beijing Champion states that the major rights of the shareholders include the power to
review and approve annual budget, operating strategy and investment plan, elect the members of board of directors and
approve their compensation plan. Therefore, through the irrevocable power of attorney arrangement, Champion
Technology has the ability to exercise effective control over Beijing Champion through equity holder votes and, through
such votes, to also control the composition of the board of directors.
F-12
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION - continued
The VIE arrangements - continued
•
Agreements that provide Company effective control over Beijing Champion - continued
Deed of undertaking:
The Company, Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and his wife, Ms. Baohong Yin executed a deed of undertaking (“Deed”) on
September 26, 2013.
Pursuant to this deed, Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong irrevocably covenanted an undertaking to the Company to
abstain from (1) utilizing their status as majority shareholders of the Company to vote for the appointment or removal of a
director of the Company and (2) any matters related to the Deed. This deed was terminated automatically upon the
completion of the follow-on public offering on March 11, 2014 as Mr. Zhengdong Zhu and Ms. Baohong Yin no longer
owned a majority of outstanding ordinary shares after the follow-on public offering.
These contractual arrangements allow the Group to effectively control Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries and to derive
substantially all of the economic benefits from them. Accordingly, the Group treats Beijing Champion as a VIE and because the
Group is the primary beneficiary of Beijing Champion, the Group has consolidated the financial results of Beijing Champion
and its subsidiaries.
•
Risks in relation to VIE structure
The Company believes that the contractual arrangements with Beijing Champion and its shareholders are in compliance
with existing PRC laws and regulations and are valid, binding and enforceable and will not result in any violation of PRC
laws or regulations and the PRC regulatory authorities may take a contrary view. If the legal structure and contractual
arrangements were found to be in violation of any existing PRC laws and regulations, the regulatory authorities may
exercise their discretion and:
•
•
•
•
•
•
revoke the business and operating licenses of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries or consolidated affiliated entities;
restrict the rights to collect revenues from any of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries;
discontinue or restrict the operations of any related-party transactions among the Company’s PRC subsidiaries or
consolidated affiliated entities;
require the Company’s PRC subsidiaries or consolidated affiliated entities to restructure the relevant ownership
structure or operations;
take other regulatory or enforcement action is, including levying fines that could be harmful to the Company’s
business; or
impose additional conditions or requirements with which the Company may not be able to comply.
F-13
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION - continued
The VIE arrangements - continued
•
Risks in relation to VIE structure - continued
The imposition of any of these penalties may result in a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to conduct its
business. In addition, if the imposition of any of these penalties causes the Company to lose the rights to direct the
activities of the VIE and their subsidiaries or the right to receive their economic benefits, the Company would no longer be
able to consolidate the financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries.
The Company’s ability to control Beijing Champion also depends on the powers of attorney that enable Champion
Technology to vote on all matters requiring shareholder approval for Beijing Champion. As noted above, the Company
believes these powers of attorney are valid, binding and enforceable under existing PRC laws and regulations but may not
be as effective as direct equity ownership.
Certain shareholders of Beijing Champion are also beneficial owners or directors of the Company. In addition, certain
beneficial owners and directors of the Company are also directors or officers of Beijing Champion. Their interests as
beneficial owners of Beijing Champion may differ from the interests of the Company as a whole. The Company cannot be
certain that if conflicts of interest arise, these parties will act in the best interests of the Company or that conflicts of
interests will resolve in the Company’s favor. Currently, the Company does not have existing arrangements to address
potential conflicts of interest these parties may encounter in their capacity as beneficial owners of Beijing Champion, on
one hand, and as beneficial owners of the Company, on the other hand. The Company believes the shareholders of Beijing
Champion will not act contrary to any of the contractual arrangements and the exclusive purchase right contract provides
the Company with a mechanism to remove them as shareholders of Beijing Champion should they act to the detriment of
the Company. If any conflict of interest or dispute between the Company and the shareholders of Beijing Champion arises
and the Company is unable to resolve it, the Company would have to rely on legal proceedings in the PRC. Such legal
proceedings could result in disruption of its business; moreover, there is substantial uncertainty as to the ultimate outcome
of any such legal proceedings.
The Group’s online education business has been directly operated by (and as a result all of the Group’s revenues have been
generated from) the VIE and its subsidiaries. For the years ended September 30, 2014 and 2015, Beijing Champion and its
subsidiaries accounted for an aggregate of 61% and 74%, respectively, of the Group’s consolidated total assets, and 73%
and 75%, respectively of the Group’s consolidated total liabilities. The assets not associated with Beijing Champion and its
subsidiaries in these years primarily consisted of cash held by China Distance Education Holdings Limited.
F-14
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION - continued
The VIE arrangements - continued
The following financial information of the Company’s VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries as of September 30, 2014 and 2015 and for
each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2015 was included in the accompanying consolidated financial
statements after elimination of intercompany transactions and balances within VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries:
Cash and cash equivalents
Prepayment and other current assets
Total current assets
Total assets
Deferred revenue
Total current liabilities
Total liabilities
Total equity
Revenues
Net income
Net cash provided by operating activities
Net cash used in investing activities
Effects of exchange rate changes
F-15
As of September 30,
2015
2014
US$
US$
83,069
75,117
4,387
3,100
110,268
87,205
128,067
104,569
29,540
23,319
62,388
53,297
62,388
53,297
65,679
51,272
For the years ended September 30,
2015
2013
US$
US$
2014
US$
70,942 96,990 108,111
21,062 31,986 36,760
25,755 36,326 26,988
(850) (2,140)
(65) (2,797)
(2,521)
674
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION - continued
The VIE arrangements - continued
There are no consolidated VIE’s assets that are collateral for the VIE’s obligations and which can only be used to settle the
VIE’s obligations. No creditor (or beneficial interest holders) of the VIE have recourse to the general credit of the Company or
any of its consolidated subsidiaries. No terms in any arrangements, considering both explicit arrangements and implicit variable
interests, require the Company or its subsidiaries to provide financial support to the VIE. However, if the VIE ever needs
financial support, the Company or its subsidiaries may, at its option and subject to statutory limits and restrictions, provide
financial support to the VIE through loans to the shareholders of the VIE or entrustment loans to the VIE.
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of presentation and use of estimates
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates
and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the
balance sheet dates and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates and
assumptions reflected in the Group’s financial statements include, but are not limited to, revenue recognition, consolidation of
VIE, income tax, allowance for doubtful accounts, impairment of goodwill and long-term assets and share-based compensation
expenses. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.
Principles of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company, its subsidiaries, its VIE and VIE’s
subsidiaries. All transactions and balances among the Company, its subsidiaries, its VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries have been
eliminated upon consolidation.
F-16
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Foreign currency translation and transactions
The Company, DL Education, CDEL Hong Kong, Pencil, China Healthcare Investment and China Healthcare Education’s
functional currencies are United States dollars (“US$”). The Company’s PRC subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries
determine their functional currencies to be the Chinese Renminbi (“RMB”). The Company uses the US$ as its reporting
currency and uses the monthly average exchange rate for the year and the exchange rate at the balance sheet date to translate the
operating results and financial position of its PRC subsidiaries and its variable interest entities, respectively. Translation
differences are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income, a component of consolidated statements of changes in
equity.
Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are remeasured into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing on
the transaction dates. Foreign currency denominated financial assets and liabilities are remeasured at the balance sheet date
exchange rate. Exchange gains and losses are included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and highly liquid investments which are unrestricted as to withdrawal or use,
and which have an original maturity of three months or less when purchased.
Term deposits
Term deposits consist of deposits placed with financial institutions with an original maturity of greater than three months and
less than one year.
Restricted cash
Restricted cash represents deposits not readily available to the Company. Restricted cash as of September 30, 2015 mainly
represented cash pledged as security of bank borrowing.
Inventories
Inventories, consisting of paper and professional examination reference books, are stated at the lower of cost or market value.
Cost is determined using the first in, first out method.
F-17
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Fair value
Fair value is the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between
market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities required or
permitted to be recorded at fair value, the Group considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact
and it considers assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability. Authoritative literature
provides a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad
levels. The level in the hierarchy within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls is based upon the lowest level of
input that is significant to the fair value measurement as follows:
Level 1
Level 1 applies to assets or liabilities for which there are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2
Level 2 applies to assets or liabilities for which there are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are
observable for the asset or liability such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for
identical assets or liabilities in markets with insufficient volume or infrequent transactions (less active markets); or model-
derived valuations in which significant inputs are observable or can be derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable
market data.
Level 3
Level 3 applies to assets or liabilities for which there are unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant
to the measurement of the fair value of the assets or liabilities.
The Group’s financial instruments consist of cash equivalents, term deposits, restricted cash, accounts receivable, other current
assets, and other current liabilities. The carrying amounts of these instruments approximate their fair values due to their short-
term maturity.
The Group reviews goodwill for impairment annually or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate the
possibility of impairment. Other intangible assets, and other long-lived assets are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis
when there is an indicator of impairment, and they are recorded at fair value only when impairment is recognized.
F-18
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Allowance for doubtful accounts
An allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded in the period in which a loss is determined to be probable based on an
assessment of specific evidence indicating doubtful collection, historical experience, account balance aging and prevailing
economic conditions. Allowance is reversed when the underlying balance of doubtful accounts are subsequently collected.
Accounts receivable balances are written off after all collection efforts have been exhausted.
Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost and are depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful
lives of the assets, as follows:
Category
Buildings
Electronic and office equipment
Motor vehicles
Leasehold improvement and
building improvement
Estimated useful life
35 years
5 years
5 years
Shorter of lease term or 5 years
Estimated residual value
5-10%
5-10%
5-10%
—
Repair and maintenance costs are charged to expense as incurred, whereas the cost of renewals and betterment that extends the
useful lives of property, plant and equipment are capitalized as additions to the related assets. Retirements, sales and disposals of
assets are recorded by removing the cost and accumulated depreciation from the asset and accumulated depreciation accounts
with any resulting gain or loss reflected in the consolidated statements of operations.
Goodwill
Goodwill is not amortized, but tested for impairment annually or more frequently if event and circumstances indicate that it
might be impaired.
The excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired is recorded on the consolidated balance sheet as
goodwill. The guidance permits the Company to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is “more likely than not”
that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform
the two-step goodwill impairment test. Absent from any impairment indicators, the Group performs its annual impairment test
on the last day of each fiscal year.
F-19
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Goodwill - continued
For the years ended September 30, 2014 and 2015, the Group performed its annual impairment test using a two-step approach.
The first step compares the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the fair value of the
reporting unit is greater than its carrying amount, goodwill is not considered impaired and the second step is not required. If the
fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, the second step of the impairment test measures the amount of
the impairment loss, if any, by comparing the implied fair value of goodwill to its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of
goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, an impairment loss is recognized equal to that excess. The implied fair value of goodwill
is calculated in the same manner that goodwill is calculated in a business combination, whereby the fair value of the reporting
unit is allocated to all of the assets and liabilities of that unit, with the excess purchase price over the amounts assigned to assets
and liabilities representing the implied fair value of goodwill.
Other intangible assets, net
Other intangible assets are amortized using the straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives as follows:
Category
Computer software
Trademarks and domain names
Courseware
Website
Business contracts
Copyrights
Platform
Estimated useful life
3~5 years
10~11 years
1~5 years
5 years
3~5 years
5 years
3.5 years
Impairment of long-lived assets
The Group reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying
amount of an asset may no longer be recoverable. When these events occur, the Group measures impairment by comparing the
carrying value of the long-lived assets to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the
assets and their eventual disposition. If the sum of the expected undiscounted cash flow is less than the carrying amount of the
assets, the Group would recognize an impairment loss based on the fair value of the assets.
F-20
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Impairment of long-lived assets - continued
If the intent is to hold the asset for sale and certain other criteria are met (i.e., the asset can be disposed of currently, appropriate
levels of authority have approved sale, and there is an actively pursuing buyer), the impairment test is a comparison of the
asset’s carrying value to its fair value less costs to sell. To the extent that the carrying value is greater than the asset’s fair value
less costs to sell, an impairment loss is recognized for the difference. Assets held for sale are separately presented on the balance
sheet and are no longer depreciated.
Revenue recognition
Revenues are recognized when the following four criteria are met: (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (ii) the
service has been rendered, (iii) the fees are fixed or determinable, and (iv) collectability is reasonably assured.
Online education services
The online education service provided by the Group to its customers is an integrated service, including audio-video course
content, mock examinations and online chat rooms during the subscription period. Audio-video course content, mock
examinations and online chat rooms are not practical to be sold on standalone basis and have never been sold separately.
The Group earns revenues by providing online education services to customers pursuant to two types of revenue models - non-
refundable course model and refundable course model.
The on-line courses using the non-refundable course model are mainly comprised of regular classes and premium classes. The
revenues for the regular classes are recognized on a straight line basis over the subscription period from the month in which the
customers enroll in the courses to the month in which subscribed courses terminate. For premium classes, if participants fail to
pass the course examination and certain pre-agreed conditions are met, the participants can be offered by certain course fee
discount to retake the same premium course. As such, the discount is proportionately applied as a deduction to revenue
recognized for each of the premium classes that participants take.
For on-line courses using the refundable course model (i.e. elite classes), if the participants complete the courses and fail the
professional exams and their scores are within a range provided for in the agreement, they are entitled to either a full refund or
the right to retake the course. The participants must notify the Group within a pre-agreed period after the professional
examinations scores are released in order to be eligible for the refund or the right to retake the course. The proceeds from the
refundable course model are initially recorded as “refundable fees”. Revenues are recognized upon the expiration of the
participants’ right to receive a refund or ratably over the retake course period when the participants decide to retake the course
before the expiration of such right.
F-21
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Revenue recognition - continued
Online education services - continued
Most of the course participants pay course fees via online payment systems provided by third parties including internet debit or
credit card payment systems and other third-party payment systems. Some participants may choose to enroll for on-line courses
through the use of prepaid study cards which are purchased from distributors. The Group sells to its regional distributors prepaid
study cards at a discount to the face value of the cards. Revenues are recorded using the after-discount-selling-price of the cards
and recognized over the period the on-line course is available to the customers, which generally is from the enrollment date to
the completion of the relevant professional examination date. Sales of prepaid study cards that are not activated for course
enrollment are recognized as revenues upon expiration of the cards. Prepaid study cards that have been activated but have not
been used to enroll on-line courses do not have an expiry date and will be deferred until they are used to enroll in on-line
courses. Participants who enroll with the Company directly are eligible to a refund within a 7-day trial period. Revenues from
direct enrollment with the Company are recognized over the period from the lapse of the 7-day trial period to the completion of
the relevant professional examination date.
The Group may, at times, offer volume discounts to its regional distributors for purchases over a specified amount of prepaid
cards during a specified period of time, generally, one year. The amount of future rebates relating to these volume discounts
cannot be reasonably estimated and accordingly a deferred revenue balance is recognized for the maximum potential amount of
volume discount. If the number of purchases specified in the volume discount provisions is not reached upon the expiry of the
volume discount period, the deferred revenue relating to such volume discount for each study card is recognized as revenue over
the remaining period the on-line course is available to the user who enrolls using the study card or recognized as revenue
immediately if the related on-line course has been completed or the study card has expired.
The Group provides student enrollment services and online platform to government agencies which use the Group’s online
platform to conduct continuing education services. The Group earns service fees as a percentage of total tuition fees based on
the agreements entered into with the government agencies. Service fees are initially recorded as deferred revenue and are
recognized as revenue when course participants complete the stipulated study hours and take the examinations, or on a straight
line basis over the subscription period based on the terms of the agreements.
F-22
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Revenue recognition - continued
Online education services - continued
The Group also operates an Online Open Learning Platform, a proprietary education platform that allows other parties to share
their educational content or deliver live courses online. After passing the Group’s quality control reviews, experts and scholars
of various fields can either record their own lectures and post them on the Open Learning Platform website, or deliver real-time
audio-video courses. The group offers coaching services to these lecturers and deploys a user evaluation system to ensure that
these courses meet its quality and effectiveness standards. The Group pays the experts and scholars certain percentage of the
service fee they received from the end users. Revenues from Open Learning Platform are recognized on gross basis, as the
Group is the primary obligor in the arrangement and bears the risks and rewards, including the quality control and the services
delivered.
For the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, the Group recognized revenues before business tax and related
surcharges in connection with expired study cards amounting to US$164, US$114, and US$101, respectively.
The on-line courses service is provided by Beijing Champion and its subsidiaries which are subject to approximately 3%
business tax and related surcharges. The Group records revenues net of these taxes in the consolidated statements of operations.
Such business tax and related surcharges for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015 were US$1,986, US$2,699
and US$2,996 respectively.
Books and reference materials
The Group sells books and reference materials to distributors and end users. Revenues relating to such sales are deferred until
cash is collected. Inventory costs of products delivered to distributors for which revenues have been deferred are presented as
“deferred costs” on the consolidated balance sheets.
The Group also sells books and reference materials together with study cards which allow the customers to take a certain
number of on-line courses for no additional charge. These sales are considered arrangements with two deliverables, consisting
of the delivery of books and reference material and the on-line courses service. Because neither vendor-specific objective
evidence nor third-party evidence of fair value of the deliverables exist, the Group allocates revenue to each deliverables based
on their relative selling price.
F-23
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Revenue recognition - continued
Other revenues
Other revenues include sales of offline professional training, courseware production services, platform production services, and
others.
Revenues from offline professional training are recognized when the training courses are provided. For offline training
sponsored by government authorities, the tuition fees of the training participants are subsidized by the government. Qualified
enrollments and the fees to be earned cannot be determined until the confirmation from government authorities regarding the
number of students and fees is received by the Company, which is after the completion of services. Therefore, revenues from
such services are recognized upon cash receipt or the receipt of confirmations from government authorities, whichever is earlier,
when all the other revenue recognition criteria have been met.
Revenues from sales of courseware, which are designed and developed pursuant to the requests from customers, are recognized
when the courseware or platforms are accepted by the customers. The Company has no significant remaining obligation with
respect to the courseware or platforms upon the acceptance of the customers.
From time to time, the Group enters into arrangement to provide the development and maintenance of online platforms to its
customers. After the development of online platforms, the Group provides support and maintenance services. The development
of online platform and the support and maintenance services have never been sold separately and they do not have standalone
value to the customers. Accordingly, revenues from such arrangement is accounted as a single unit of accounting and recognized
ratably over the support and maintenance services period.
Revenues from other services, including magazine content production, advertising and consulting services, are recognized over
the period when such services are provided.
Value added taxes
On January 1, 2012, the PRC Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation officially launched a pilot value-
added tax (“VAT”) reform program (“Pilot Program”), applicable to businesses in selected industries. Businesses in the Pilot
Program would pay VAT instead of business tax. The Pilot Program initially applied only to transportation industry and
“modern service industries” (“Pilot Industries”) in Shanghai and subsequently was expanded to ten other provinces and
municipalities between August and December 2012.
F-24
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Value added taxes - continued
As a result, since September 1, 2012, technical and consulting service, software licensing and course production services
provided by Champion Technology and Champion Education Technology; and since July 1, 2014, course production services
provided by Champion Wangge were no longer subject to business tax but VAT instead. Champion Technology is a VAT
general taxpayer. Champion Education Technology was a VAT small-scale taxpayer but was treated as a general taxpayer since
February 1, 2014. Champion Wangge was a VAT small-scale taxpayer but was treated as a general taxpayer since January 1,
2015. The applicable VAT rates are 6% and 3% for the entities that are general taxpayer and small-scale taxpayer, respectively.
Entities that are VAT general taxpayers are allowed to offset qualified input VAT paid to suppliers against their output VAT
liabilities. Net VAT balance between input VAT and output VAT is recorded in the line item of accrued expenses and other
current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.
Pursuant to a circular jointly released by Ministry of Finance and State Administration of Taxation on December 25, 2013, the
Group is subject to a VAT exemption for the proceeds received from customers for sales related to books and reference
materials till December 31, 2017. As a result, the Group registered a tax exemption application at state tax bureau in February
2014 and started to enjoy such tax exemption for the relevant sales since March 2014. Prior to the filling of tax exemption
application in February 2014, the Group was subject to VAT generally at a rate of 13% on the proceeds received for the sales of
books and reference materials.
Cost of sales
Cost of online education services primarily includes the production costs of study cards, server and bandwidth leasing fees,
lecturer fees, staff costs involved in the operation of online education services including network operation and maintenance,
course production and tutor services and other direct costs of providing these services. These costs are expensed when incurred.
The cost of books and reference materials, including direct materials used for production of books, authorship fee and printing
cost, are initially deferred and recorded as “deferred cost”. The deferred costs are recognized as cost of sales when the related
revenue is recognized upon cash receipt.
Advertising expenditure
Advertising expenditure is expensed when incurred and are included in “selling expenses” in the consolidated statements of
operations. Advertising expenses were US$3,167, US$6,464 and US$10,377, for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and
2015, respectively.
F-25
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Shipping and handling costs
Shipping and handling costs of books and reference materials are classified as a component of “selling expenses” in the
consolidated statements of operations. Shipping and handling costs classified as selling expenses were US$489, US$703 and
US$718, for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
Income taxes
Current income taxes are provided for in accordance with the laws of the relevant tax authorities. Deferred income taxes are
recognized when temporary differences exist between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the
financial statements. Net operating loss carry forwards and credits are applied using enacted statutory tax rates applicable to
future years. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more-likely-
than-not that a portion of or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The components of the deferred tax assets and
liabilities are individually classified as current and non-current based on their characteristics. The impact of an uncertain income
tax position is recognized at the largest amount that is more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant tax
authority. An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less than a 50% likelihood of being sustained.
Interest and penalties on income taxes will be classified as a component of the provisions for income taxes.
Share-based compensation
Share-based compensation with employees is measured based on the grant-date fair value of the equity instrument issued and
recognized as compensation expense over the requisite service period, with a corresponding addition to paid-in capital. The
Group recognizes compensation expense over the vesting term on a straight-line basis with the amount of compensation expense
recognized at any date not less than the portion of the grant-date value of the option vested at that date.
Share-based compensation with non-employee is measured based on the fair value of options at the earlier of the performance
commitment date or the date at which the non-employee’s performance is complete (hereafter referred to as the measurement
date). The Group recognizes compensation expense using the graded vesting attribution method.
Share-based compensation awards which require the issuance of a variable number of shares to settle a fixed monetary amount
are accounted for as liabilities.
F-26
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Net income per share
Basic net income per share is computed by dividing income attributable to holders of ordinary shares by the weighted average
number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Nonvested restricted shares are also participating securities as they
enjoy identical dividend rights as ordinary shares. Accordingly, the Group uses the two-class method whereby undistributed net
income is allocated on a pro rata basis to each participating share to the extent that each class may share in income for the
period. Diluted net income per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue
ordinary shares were exercised or converted into ordinary shares. The dilutive effect of outstanding share-based awards is
reflected in the diluted net income per share by application of the treasury stock method.
Comprehensive income
Comprehensive income includes net income and foreign currency translation adjustments and is reported in the consolidated
statements of comprehensive income.
Significant risks and uncertainties
Foreign currency risk
RMB is not a freely convertible currency. The State Administration for Foreign Exchange, under the authority of the People’s
Bank of China, controls the conversion of RMB into foreign currencies. The value of RMB is subject to changes in central
government policies and to international economic and political developments affecting supply and demand in the China
Foreign Exchange Trading System market. The cash and cash equivalents of the Group included aggregate amounts of
US$110,342 and US$105,865, which were denominated in RMB, at September 30, 2014 and 2015, respectively, representing
93.5% and 89.8% of the cash and cash equivalents at September 30, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
Concentration of credit risk
Financial instrument that potentially expose the Group to significant concentration of credit risk primarily consist of cash and
cash equivalents, term deposits, restricted cash, accounts receivable and prepayment and other current assets. As of
September 30, 2015, substantially all of the Group’s cash and cash equivalents, term deposits and restricted cash were deposited
in financial institutions located in the PRC and Hong Kong. Accounts receivable are typically unsecured and are derived from
revenue earned from customers in the PRC. The risk with respect to accounts receivable is mitigated by credit evaluations the
Group performs on its customers and its ongoing monitoring process of outstanding balances.
F-27
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Significant risks and uncertainties - continued
Concentration of credit risk - continued
There are no revenues from customers which individually represent greater than 10% of the total net revenues for any year of
the three years period ended September 30, 2015.
Primarily due to the long payment cycles of government agencies, the Group had one customer that accounted for 21.7% and
13.1% of the Group’s carrying amount of accounts receivable as of September 30, 2014 and September 30, 2015 respectively.
Recently issued accounting pronouncements not yet adopted
In May 2014, the FASB issued, ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)”. The guidance
substantially converges final standards on revenue recognition between the FASB and the International Accounting Standards
Board providing a framework on addressing revenue recognition issues and, upon its effective date, replaces almost all exiting
revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance, in current U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services
to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods
or services. To achieve that core principle, an entity should apply the following steps:
•
•
•
•
•
Step 1: Identify the contract(s) with a customer.
Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract.
Step 3: Determine the transaction price.
Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract.
Step 5: Recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.
The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim
periods within that reporting period. Earlier application is permitted only as of annual reporting periods beginning after
December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. The Group is in the process of evaluating
the impact of adoption of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.
In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, “Consolidation (Topic 810) — Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis”.
The amendments in Topic 810 respond to stakeholders’ concerns about the current accounting for consolidation of variable
interest entities, by changing aspects of the analysis that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should
consolidate such entities.
F-28
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Recently issued accounting pronouncements not yet adopted - continued
Under the amendments, all reporting entities are within the scope of Subtopic 810-10, Consolidation – Overall, including limited
partnerships and similar legal entities, unless a scope exception applies. The amendments are intended to be an improvement to
current U.S. GAAP, as they simplify the codification of FASB Statement No. 167, Amendments to FASB Interpretation No. 46
(R), with changes including reducing the number of consolidation models through the elimination of the indefinite deferral of
Statement 167 and placing more emphasis on risk of loss when determining a controlling financial interest. The amendments are
effective for publicly-traded companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and for interim periods within those
fiscal years. Earlier adoption is permitted. The implementation of this update is not expected to have any material impact on the
Group’s consolidated financial statements.
F-29
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
3. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, NET
Accounts receivable, net consisted of the following:
Accounts receivable
Less: allowance for doubtful accounts
Accounts receivable, net
Movement of allowance for doubtful accounts was as follows:
Balance at beginning of the year
Reversal of the allowance for doubtful accounts
Foreign currency adjustment
Balance at end of the year
F-30
As of September 30,
2014
US$
2,887
(1,250)
1,637
2015
US$
2,958
(158)
2,800
As of September 30,
2014
US$
1,773
(517)
(6)
1,250
2015
US$
1,250
(1,078)
(14)
158
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
4.
INVENTORIES
Inventories consisted of the following:
Books and other goods
Paper and other raw materials
Less: inventory provisions for slow-moving and obsolescence
As of September 30,
2014
US$
968
121
(640)
449
2015
US$
1,373
173
(675)
871
Inventories provision provided in the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015 were US$67, US$527 and US$58,
respectively.
5.
PREPAYMENT AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS
Prepayment and other current assets consisted of the following:
Prepaid expenses
Advance to the suppliers
Interest receivable
Funds receivable
Deposits
Others
Prepayment and other current assets, net
F-31
Notes
(1)
(2)
As of September 30,
2015
2014
US$
US$
2,929
1,669
1,111
766
163
369
244
306
10
23
396
616
4,853
3,749
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
5.
PREPAYMENT AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS - continued
(1) Advance to the suppliers represents interest-free cash deposits paid to suppliers for future purchase of raw materials and finished
goods. The risk of loss arising from non-performance by or bankruptcy of the suppliers is assessed prior to making the deposits
and is monitored on a regular basis by management. A charge to cost of sales will be recorded in the period in which a loss
becomes probable. To date, the Group has not experienced any loss of advances to suppliers.
(2) Funds receivable arise due to the time taken to clear customers’ payment transactions through external payment networks. When
customers remit fees to the Group via external payment networks using their bank account or credit card, there is a clearing
period before the cash is received by the Group which usually takes one to three business days. These fees are treated as a
receivable until the cash is received.
6.
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET
Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following:
Buildings
Electronic and office equipment
Leasehold improvement and building improvement
Motor vehicles
Total
Less: Accumulated depreciation
As of September 30,
2014
US$
6,033
9,896
511
1,563
18,003
(7,282)
10,721
2015
US$
5,826
12,207
1,872
1,616
21,521
(8,605)
12,916
Depreciation expenses were US$1,848, US$1,808 and US$2,034, for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015,
respectively.
F-32
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
7. GOODWILL
Goodwill is comprised of the following:
Years ended September 30
Online
education
service
US$
2014
Start-up
training
service
US$
Online
education
2015
Start-up
training
service
Total
US$ US$
service
US$
Total
US$
Gross amount
Beginning balance
Exchange difference
Ending balance
Accumulated impairment loss
Goodwill, net
(5)
(17)
5,880 1,831 7,711 5,863 1,826 7,689
(260)
5,863 1,826 7,689 5,662 1,767 7,429
— — — — — —
5,863 1,826 7,689 5,662 1,767 7,429
(201)
(22)
(59)
The Group tested its goodwill for impairment at the following reporting units level.
Online education service - This reporting unit provides online education services to its customers located in the PRC. It includes
all the subsidiaries, the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries of the Group except for Zhengbao Yucai. The goodwill arising from the
acquisitions of the entities under this reporting unit is fully allocated to this reporting unit.
Start-up training service - This reporting unit provides start-up training services to the Group’s customers located in the PRC. It
includes Zhengbao Yucai. The goodwill arising from the acquisition of Zhengbao Yucai is fully allocated to this reporting unit.
Goodwill is tested for impairment annually or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that it might be
impaired. The Group did not record any impairment of goodwill on online education service and start-up training service for the
years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
F-33
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
8. OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET
The balance of other intangible assets consisted of the following:
Computer software
Trademarks and domain names
Courseware
Business contracts
Copyrights
Platform
Total intangible assets
Less: Accumulated amortization
Computer software
Trademarks and domain names
Courseware
Business contracts
Copyrights
Platform
Accumulated amortization
Intangible assets, net
As of September 30,
2014
US$
3,428
1,499
486
530
662
217
6,822
2015
US$
3,480
1,449
470
511
639
209
6,758
(2,595)
(952)
(486)
(530)
(658)
(217)
(5,438)
1,384
(2,807)
(1,045)
(470)
(511)
(638)
(209)
(5,680)
1,078
Amortization expenses were US$771, US$592 and US$437, for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015,
respectively.
The estimated amortization expenses for the above other intangible assets for each of the following fiscal years are as follows:
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021 and thereafter
F-34
Amortization
US$
345
317
193
122
55
46
1,078
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
9. OTHER NON-CURRENT ASSETS
Other non-current assets consisted of the following:
Long-term prepaid expenses
Rental deposits
As of September 30,
2015
2014
US$
US$
2,135
1,903
240
225
2,375
2,128
(1)
(2)
(1) Long-term prepaid expenses represent golf club membership fees. The amortization of the long term prepaid expenses was made
within a ten-year amortizing period and was recorded as “general and administrative expenses” on the consolidated statements
of operations.
(2) Rental deposits represent office rental deposits for the Group’s daily operations. These deposits are classified as non-current
deposits since they will not be refunded within one year.
10. ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER LIABILITIES
The components of accrued expenses and other liabilities are as follows:
Tuition fee payables to government agencies
Salary and welfare payable
Accrued expenses
Remuneration payable to lecturers
Uncertain income tax liabilities (Note 14)
Payables to employees in connection with options exercise
Other payable
As of September 30,
2014
US$
10,096
5,222
3,726
1,802
177
94
1,578
22,695
2015
US$
13,084
4,555
3,349
2,380
171
7
2,447
25,993
Tuition fee payable to government agencies mainly represents the portion of tuition fee collected by the Group on behalf of the
government agencies which provide certain continuing education courses and the Group is only responsible for the student
enrollment and provision of online platform and shares certain percentage of tuition fee as service fees.
F-35
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
11. BANK BORROWING
On December 6, 2013, CDEL Hong Kong entered into a loan agreement with Deutsche Bank, AG, Singapore Branch, for a
RMB100 million, approximately US$16,000, term loan facility with an 2.40% annual interest rate for a term of 18 months. The
facility was secured by a term deposit of RMB100 million provided by Champion Technology, which was recorded as
“restricted cash” on balance sheet as of September 30, 2014.
On June 22, 2015, CDEL Cayman entered into a 3-year USD/RMB Revolving Term Loan Facility with a maximum of RMB300
million facility limit with The Bank of East Asia, Limited (“BEA”) which will remain effective for three years. In order to repay
the term loan from Deutsche Bank, AG, Singapore Branch borrowed by CDEL Hong Kong, CDEL Cayman drew down a loan
of RMB103.6 million from BEA on June 24, 2015 under the USD/RMB Revolving Term Loan Facility. The loan between
CDEL Cayman and BEA is effective from June 24, 2015 to June 24, 2016 for a period of 12 months, with an interest rate of
3.625% per annum. The term loan from Deutsche Bank, AG, Singapore Branch was repaid in full on June 24, 2015, and such
bank borrowing was no longer recorded on balance sheet as of September 30, 2015. The bank borrowing from BEA was
recorded as short-term liability as of September 30, 2015, as it matures within 12 months.
The new facility was secured by a term deposit of RMB103.6 million provided by Champion Technology, which was recorded
as “restricted cash” on balance sheet as of September 30, 2015. The previously recorded “restricted cash” of RMB100 million
had been released.
The fair value of the bank borrowing was $16,362 and $16,389 as of September 30, 2014 and 2015. The recorded value of the
bank borrowing approximates its fair value, as interest rates approximates market rates. The fair value of bank borrowing is
determined as present value of the debt using market interest rates. The borrowings are categorized in Level 2 of the fair value
hierarchy.
12. ORDINARY SHARES
Under the share repurchase programs approved by the Company’s board of directors on November 20, 2008 and April 29, 2011,
the Company is authorized to repurchase up to US$20,000 worth of its issued and outstanding American Depositary Shares
(“ADSs”) from time to time in open-market transactions on NYSE. On August 18, 2015, the Board of Directors approved a
share repurchase program which authorized the Company to repurchase up to US$10,000 of its issued and outstanding ADSs
during a one-year period from August 18, 2015 to August 17, 2016. During the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and
2015, the Company repurchased 67,100, nil and 1,137,236 ordinary shares at total considerations of US$93, US$ nil and
US$3,333 respectively. Such shares were immediately canceled after the repurchase.
On March 11, 2014, the Company completed a follow-on public offering of ADSs by the Company and certain selling
shareholders. Through the follow-on public offering, the Company issued and sold 6,000,000 ordinary shares, representing
1,500,000 ADSs at the price of US$21.00 per ADS. The net proceeds received by the Company, after deducting underwriting
commissions and other professional service fees, amounted to US$29,088.
F-36
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
13. RESTRICTED NET ASSETS
Relevant PRC statutory laws and regulations permit payments of dividends by the Group’s PRC subsidiaries only out of their
retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. The results of operations
reflected in the financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP differ from those reflected in the statutory financial
statements of the Company’s subsidiaries.
In accordance with the Regulations on Enterprises with Foreign Investment of China and their articles of association, a foreign
invested enterprise established in the PRC is required to provide certain statutory reserves, namely general reserve fund, the
enterprise expansion fund and staff welfare and bonus fund which are appropriated from net profit as reported in the enterprise’s
PRC statutory accounts, which is included in retained earnings accounts in equity section of the consolidated balance sheets. A
wholly-owned foreign invested enterprise is required to allocate at least 10% of its annual after-tax profit to the general reserve
until such reserve reaches 50% of its respective registered capital based on the enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts.
Appropriations to the enterprise expansion fund and staff welfare and bonus fund are at the discretion of the board of directors
for all foreign invested enterprises. The aforementioned reserves can only be used for specific purposes and are not distributable
as cash dividends. Champion Technology and Champion Education Technology were established as wholly-owned foreign
invested enterprises and therefore are subject to the above mandated restrictions on distributable profits.
Additionally, in accordance with the Company Law of the PRC, a domestic enterprise is required to provide statutory common
reserve at least 10% of its annual after-tax profit until such reserve reaches 50% of its respective registered capital based on the
enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts. The Group’s provision for the statutory common reserve is in compliance with the
aforementioned requirement of the Company Law. A domestic enterprise is also required to provide for discretionary surplus
reserve, at the discretion of the board of directors, from the profits determined in accordance with the enterprise’s PRC statutory
accounts. The aforementioned reserves can only be used for specific purposes and are not distributable as cash dividends.
Because the Group’s entities in the PRC can only be paid out of distributable profits reported in accordance with PRC
accounting standards, the Group’s entities in the PRC are restricted from transferring a portion of their net assets to the
Company. The restricted amounts include the paid-in capital and statutory reserves of the Group’s entities in the PRC. The
aggregate amount of paid-in capital and statutory reserves, which represented the amount of net assets of the Group’s entities in
the PRC (mainland) not available for distribution, were US$23,581 and US$23,428, as of September 30, 2014 and 2015,
respectively.
F-37
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
14.
INCOME TAX
Cayman Islands
Under current law of Cayman Islands, the Company is not subject to income or capital gains taxes. In addition, dividends
payments are not subject to tax withholding in the Cayman Islands.
The United States
DL Education was established in the United States and is inactive in the years ended September 30, 2014 and 2015. Therefore
there is no income that is subject to the U.S. federal income taxes and state income taxes.
Hong Kong
CDEL Hong Kong and Pencil have not recorded tax provision for Hong Kong profits tax as the companies have not had
assessable profits arising in or derived from Hong Kong.
China
The Enterprise Income Tax Law (the “EIT Law”) of the PRC, which took effect on January 1, 2008, applies a uniform 25%
enterprise income tax rate to all resident enterprise in China, including foreign invested enterprises.
Since 2008, Beijing Champion and Champion Technology qualified as “high and new technology enterprise strongly supported
by the State” (“HNTE”) under the EIT Law, and therefore, were entitled to preferential income tax rates. In October 2011 and
October 2014, Beijing Champion and Champion Technology renewed the HNTE qualification, and therefore, were continually
entitled to the preferential income tax rate of 15% in years 2011 through 2016. As a result, the Group applied 15% to determine
the tax liabilities for these two entities.
Since 2012, Zhengbao Yucai obtained HNTE qualification and was entitled to preferential income tax rate of 15%. In December
2015, Zhengbao Yucai renewed the HNTE qualification, and therefore was continually entitled to the preferential income tax
rate in years 2015 through 2017.
F-38
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
14.
INCOME TAX - continued
China - continued
Under the EIT Law and its implementation rules, a withholding tax at 10%, unless reduced by a tax treaty or arrangement, is
applied on dividends received by non-PRC-resident corporate investors from PRC-resident enterprises, such as the Company’s
PRC subsidiaries. Undistributed earnings prior to January 1, 2008 are exempt from such withholding tax. Under the China-HK
Tax Arrangement and the relevant regulations, a qualified Hong Kong tax resident which is the “beneficial owner” and holds
25% equity interests or more of a PRC enterprise is entitled to a reduced withholding rate of 5%. The Company believes that
CDEL Hong Kong qualifies for the 5% withholding tax rate. CDEL Hong Kong’s deferred tax liabilities related to potential
withholding tax were US$1,276 and US$1,729 as of September 30, 2014 and 2015, respectively, on the undistributed earnings
from its investment in the PRC entities generated after January 1, 2008. The related income tax expenses were US$271, US$371
and US$453 for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
In general, the PRC tax authorities have up to five years to conduct examinations of the PRC entities’ tax filings. Accordingly,
the PRC entities’ tax years from 2009 to 2014 remain subject to examination by the tax authorities and US$37 was reversed for
the unpaid tax liability that was accrued before 2009 tax year.
Income before income taxes consisted of:
Non - PRC
PRC
Years ended September 30,
2015
2014
2013
US$
US$
US$
(2,003) (1,757) (2,381)
19,364 29,218 32,828
17,361 27,461 30,447
The current and deferred components of the income tax expense appearing in the consolidated statements of operations are as
follows:
Current tax expense
Deferred tax expense
F-39
Years ended September 30,
2013
US$
3,107
690
3,797
2014
US$
3,988
64
4,052
2015
US$
4,798
1,076
5,874
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
14.
INCOME TAX - continued
China - continued
The reconciliation of the effective tax rate and the statutory income tax rate applicable to PRC operations is as follows:
Income before taxes
Income tax expense computed at applicable tax rates of 25%
Effect of different tax rates in different jurisdictions
Non-deductible expenses
Effect of tax holidays
Effect of valuation allowances
Effect of tax rate changes
Withholding tax on undistributed earnings
Income tax reversal
Effective income tax rate
The aggregate amount and per share effect of the tax holidays are as follows:
The aggregate amount of tax holidays
The aggregate effect on basic and diluted net income per share:
- Basic
- Diluted
F-40
Years ended September 30,
2013
US$
17,361
4,340
440
75
(1,740)
194
237
251
—
3,797
21.87%
2014
US$
27,461
6,865
357
94
(2,888)
33
—
373
(782)
4,052
14.76%
2015
US$
30,447
7,612
614
120
(3,001)
59
—
507
(37)
5,874
19.29%
Years ended September 30,
2013
US$
1,740
2014
US$
2,888
2015
US$
3,001
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
14.
INCOME TAX - continued
China - continued
Deferred taxes reflect the tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial
reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The components of deferred taxes are as follows:
Current deferred tax assets
Payroll payable
Accrued expenses
Allowance for doubtful accounts
Net operating loss carry-forwards
Total current deferred tax assets
Less: valuation allowance
Current deferred tax assets, net
Non-current deferred tax assets
Intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Net operating loss carry-forwards
Total non-current deferred tax assets
Less: valuation allowance
Non-current deferred tax assets, net
Non-current deferred tax liabilities
Intangible assets
Withholding tax on undistributed earnings
Total non-current deferred tax liabilities
As of September 30,
2014
US$
2015
US$
794
599
546
255
2,194
(78)
2,116
679
604
247
40
1,570
(62)
1,508
19
140
314
473
(268)
205
13
132
346
491
(337)
154
39
1,276
1,315
15
1,729
1,744
The authoritative guidance requires that the Group recognizes the impact of a tax position in the financial statements if that
position is more likely than not of being sustained upon audit by the tax authority, based on the technical merits of the position.
Under PRC laws and regulations, arrangements and transactions among related parties may be subject to examination by the
PRC tax authorities. If the PRC tax authorities determine that the contractual arrangements among related companies do not
represent a price under normal commercial terms, they may make adjustments to the companies’ income and expenses. A
transfer pricing adjustment could result in additional tax liabilities.
F-41
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
14.
INCOME TAX - continued
China - continued
As a result of the Group’s assessment of its tax positions, the unrecognized tax benefit related to transfer price position prior to
the year 2009 was recorded at US$177, US$177 and US$171 as of September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. The
subsequent changes of the unrecognized tax benefit were due to foreign currency adjustment.
Reconciliation of accrued unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
Balance - September 30, 2013
Foreign currency adjustment
Balance - September 30, 2014
Foreign currency adjustment
Balance - September 30, 2015
Unrecognized
tax benefits
177
—
177
(6)
171
The Group does not anticipate any significant change in unrecognized tax benefits within 12 months from September 30, 2015.
In addition, uncertainties exist with respect to how the current income tax law in the PRC applies to the Group’s overall
operations, and more specifically, with regard to tax residency status. The New EIT Law includes a provision specifying that
legal entities organized outside of the PRC will be considered residents for Chinese Income tax purposes if the place of effective
management or control is within the PRC. The implementation rules to the New EIT Law provide that non-resident legal entities
will be considered PRC residents if substantial and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business
operations, personnel, accounting and properties, occurs within the PRC. Despite the present uncertainties resulting from the
limited PRC tax guidance on the issue, the Group does not believe that the legal entities organized outside of the PRC within the
Group should be treated as residents for EIT law purposes. If the PRC tax authorities subsequently determine that the Company
and its subsidiaries registered outside the PRC should be deemed resident enterprises, the Company and its subsidiaries
registered outside the PRC will be subject to the PRC income taxes, at a rate of 25%.
F-42
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
15. EMPLOYEE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN
Full time employees of the Group in the PRC participate in a government mandated defined contribution plan, pursuant to which
certain pension benefits, medical care, employee housing fund and other welfare benefits are provided to employees. Chinese
labor regulations require that the PRC subsidiaries of the Group make contributions to the government for these benefits based
on certain percentages of the employees’ salaries. The Group has no legal obligation for the benefits beyond the contributions
made. The total amounts for such employee benefits, which were expensed as incurred, were US$3,910, US$5,331 and
US$6,432 for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
Obligations for contributions to defined contribution retirement plans for full-time employee in Hong Kong, including
contributions payable under the Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance, are recognized as expenses in the
consolidated statements of operations as incurred. The total amounts for such employee benefits were US$2, US$2 and US$3
for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
16. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Operating lease commitments
Future minimum payments under non-cancelable operating leases related to offices, servers and bandwidth with initial terms of
one-year or longer consisted of the following at September 30, 2015:
Years ending September 30,
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
US$
4,796
3,341
1,427
118
98
9,780
Payments under operating leases are expensed on the straight-line basis over the periods of their respective leases. The terms of
the leases do not contain rent escalation or contingent rents. For the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, total rental
expenses for all operating leases amounted to US$3,904, US$5,786 and US$6,955, respectively.
F-43
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
16. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES - continued
Legal contingencies
The group is a party in potential claims arising in the ordinary course of business. The Group does not believe that the resolution
of these matters will have a material effect on its financial position or results of operations.
Assets pledged as security for bank borrowing
As disclosed in Note 11, on June 24, 2015, CDEL Cayman entered into a loan agreement for a RMB103.6 million,
approximately US$16,300, term loan facility. The facility was secured by a term deposit of RMB103.6 million provided by
Champion Technology, which was recorded as “restricted cash” on the consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2015.
17. SEGMENT REPORTING
The Group operates and manages its business as a single segment that includes primarily the provision of online and offline
education services and selling of related products.
The revenues attributable to the different service and product groups are as follows:
Online education services
Books and reference materials
Offline education services
Others
Years ended September 30,
2013
US$
58,573
5,129
4,617
3,041
71,360
2014
US$
80,545
6,392
7,817
2,442
97,196
2015
US$
88,657
6,873
10,758
1,889
108,177
Online education services accounted for 82.1%, 82.9% and 82.0% of the Group’s total net revenue for the years ended
September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively.
Geographic disclosures:
As the Group primarily generates its revenues from customers in the PRC, no geographical segments are presented. The
majority of the Group’s long-lived assets are located in the PRC.
F-44
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
18. NET INCOME PER SHARE
Basic and diluted net income per share for each of the periods presented were calculated as follows:
2013
US$
Years ended September 30,
2014
US$
2015
US$
Numerator:
Net income
- allocated to ordinary share - basic
- allocated to nonvested restricted share - basic
13,564
13,554
10
23,409
23,392
17
24,573
24,485
88
Denominator:
Weighted average number of ordinary shares
outstanding
Weighted average number of nonvested restricted
share
Plus incremental weighted average ordinary
sharesfrom assumed exercise of share options
usingthe treasury stock method
Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding used
incomputing diluted net income per share
Basic net income per share
Basic net income per nonvested restricted share
Diluted net income per share
Diluted net income per nonvested restricted share
135,174,562 139,613,967
142,720,838
103,082
102,754
512,833
1,121,589
780,483
534,319
136,399,233 140,497,204
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.10
0.10
0.10
0.10
143,767,990
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
F-45
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
19. SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN
Share options
On April 18, 2008, the Company’s shareholders approved the “China Distance Education Holdings Limited Share Incentive
Plan” (the “Prior Plan”), which permits the grant of share options and shares to its employees and non-employees (the
“Participants”). The maximum number of ordinary shares that may be delivered pursuant to compensatory awards granted to the
“Participants” under the Prior Plan should not exceed 11,652,556 ordinary shares of par value US$0.0001 per share. On July 2,
2008, the Company’s shareholders approved the “China Distance Education Holdings Limited 2008 Performance Incentive
Plan” (the “New Plan”). Subject to any amendment of the New Plan, the maximum number of ordinary shares that may be
issued pursuant to the New Plan is equal to 5% of the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding as of August 4,
2008, plus an automatic annual increase on October 1 of each calendar year commencing with October 1, 2008, by an amount
equal to the lesser of (i) 1% of the total number of ordinary shares issued and outstanding on September 30 of the same calendar
year, or (ii) such number of ordinary shares as may be determined by the Company’s board of directors. The purpose of these
share incentive plans is to promote the success of the Company and the interests of its shareholders by providing a means
through which the Company may grant equity-based incentives to attract, motivate, retain and reward certain officers,
employees, directors and other eligible persons and to further link the interests of recipients with those of the Company’s
shareholders generally. The Prior Plan will expire on April 17, 2018. The New Plan will expire on the tenth anniversary date of
August 4, 2008. Option awards are generally granted with an exercise price equal to the market price of the Company’s stock at
the date of grant; those option awards generally vest within 4 years of continuous service and have 10-year contractual terms.
Share awards generally vest for 1 year.
On May 21, 2013, the Company’s board of directors and compensation committee approved to cancel 400,000 options that were
granted to the five directors on December 2, 2008 with an exercise price per share equal to US$0.615. Since these options were
fully vested and the corresponding share-based compensation was recognized before the cancellation date, no expense related to
such options was recorded in the year ended September 30, 2013.
By the same resolution of the board of directors on May 21, 2013, 720,900 options that were granted to the selected employees
on November 17, 2009 with an exercise price per share equal to US$1.87 were cancelled. This cancellation resulted in an
immediate recording of the remaining share-based compensation of US$146 in the year ended September 30, 2013.
On November 18, 2014, the Company’s board of directors approved to grant to certain employees 2,800,000 share options for
an exercise price per share at US$3.74. These options shall vest subject to a four-year vesting schedule with 25% vesting in each
year.
F-46
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
19. SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN - continued
Share options - continued
A summary of option activity as of September 30, 2015, and changes during the years ended September 30, 2015 are presented
below:
Share option granted to
employees and non-executive directors
Outstanding, September 30, 2014
Granted
Exercised
Forfeited
Outstanding, September 30, 2015
Expected to vest, September 30, 2015
Exercisable at September 30, 2015
Number of
shares
484,000
2,800,000
(121,024)
(599,376)
2,563,600
2,288,000
275,600
Weighted-
average
exercise price
US$ 0.35
US$ 3.74
US$ 0.15
US$ 3.22
US$ 3.36
US$ 3.74
US$ 0.15
Weighted-
average
remaining
contractual
term (years)
5.73
9.14
8.69
9.14
4.91
Aggregated
intrinsic value
1,528
841
A summary of the activities of the share option granted to non-employees as of September 30, 2015, and changes during the
year ended September 30, 2015 are presented below:
Share option granted to non-employees
Outstanding, September 30, 2014
Exercised
Outstanding, September 30, 2015
Exercisable at September 30, 2015
Number
of shares
128,200
(2,900)
125,300
125,300
Weighted-
average
exercise price
US$ 0.35
US$ 0.18
US$ 0.15
US$ 0.15
Weighted-
average
remaining
contractual
term (years)
Aggregated
intrinsic
value
3.55
2.55
2.55
405
382
382
On November 18, 2014, the Company declared a cash dividend of US$0.20 per ordinary share on its outstanding shares to
shareholders as of January 6, 2015. According to the terms of the Prior and New Plan, the exercise price was duly reduced by
US$0.20 for all of the outstanding options as of January 6, 2015. The change in exercise price incurred in the year ended
September 30, 2015, and therefore was not reflected in the weighted-average exercise price as of September 30, 2014.
F-47
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
19. SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN - continued
Share options - continued
The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the year ended September 30, 2015 was US$317. As of September 30,
2015, the unrecognized share-based compensation cost related to share options amounted to approximately US$2,878. This
compensation cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average vesting period of 3.14 years.
The fair value of options granted on November 18, 2014 was estimated on the date of grant using the binomial option pricing
model with the following assumptions:
Weighted average expected volatility
Risk-free interest rate
Weighted average expected dividend yield
Weighted average fair value of the underlying ordinary shares
Expected average exercise multiple
F-48
For the year ended
September 30,
2015
56%
2.32%
2.79%
$3.7425 per share
1.95 times
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
19. SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN - continued
Nonvested restricted shares
On December 3, 2013, the Company granted 125,000 nonvested restricted shares of the Company to its directors. These shares
are restricted on transferability and will be forfeited if the directors cease to provide requisite service to the Company. The
restriction will be removed upon the vesting of the nonvested restricted shares on the first anniversary of the issuance day.
Before the removal of such restrictions, the holders of the nonvested shares shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of those
of ordinary shareholders, and shall be entitled to voting rights and dividends. Therefore, these nonvested shares are considered
participating securities for the purpose of net earnings per share calculation. The grant-date fair value of a nonvested restricted
share was US$4.58, which was determined based on the closing price of the Company’s ADSs on NYSE on December 3, 2013.
This grant resulted in a total share-based compensation of US$573, which was recognized ratably over the requisite service
period of one year.
On December 3, 2014, the Company granted 125,000 nonvested restricted shares of the Company to its directors. These shares
are restricted on transferability and will be forfeited if the directors cease to provide requisite service to the Company. The
restriction will be removed upon the vesting of the nonvested restricted shares on the first anniversary of the issuance day.
Before the removal of such restrictions, the holders of the nonvested shares shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of those
of ordinary shareholders, and shall be entitled to voting rights and dividends. Therefore, these nonvested shares are considered
participating securities for the purpose of net earnings per share calculation. The grant-date value of a nonvested restricted share
was US$4.53, which was determined based on the closing price of the Company’s ADSs on NYSE on December 3, 2014. This
grant resulted in a total share-based compensation of USD$566, which was recognized ratably over the requisite service period
of one year.
On January 12, 2015, the Company granted 542,372 nonvested restricted shares. These nonvested restricted shares are subject to
a four-year vesting period with 25% vesting on the first anniversary of the issuance date and the remaining 75% vesting in six
substantially equal semi-annual installments. Before the removal of restriction on the transferability, the holder of the nonvested
shares shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of those of ordinary shareholders, and shall be entitled to voting rights and
dividends. Therefore, these nonvested shares are considered participating securities for the purpose of net earnings per share
calculation. The grant-date value of a nonvested restricted share was US$3.6875, which was determined based the closing price
of the Company’s ASDs on NYSE on January 12, 2015. This grant resulted in a total share-based compensation of USD$2,000,
to be recognized ratably over the requisite service period of four years.
F-49
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
19. SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN - continued
Nonvested restricted shares - continued
A summary of the nonvested restricted shares activity is as follows:
Nonvested restricted shares outstanding at
September 30, 2014
Granted
Vested
Nonvested restricted shares outstanding at
September 30, 2015
Nonvested restricted shares expected to vest at
September 30, 2015
Number of
Nonvested restricted
shares outstanding
US$
Weight average
grant-date
fair value
Aggregated
intrinsic value
125,000
667,372
(125,000)
667,372
667,372
4.58
3.85
4.58
3.85
3.85
$
$
$
438
2,132
2,132
The total fair value of nonvested restricted shares vested during the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015 were $122,
$153 and $573, respectively. The Company recorded share-based compensation expenses of $250, $503 and $921 for the years
ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. As of September 30, 2015, there was $1,615 of share-based
compensation related to nonvested shares that is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 3.1 years.
Share-based compensation expense
Total share-based compensation expense of share-based awards granted to employees, non-employees and non-executive
directors recognized for the years ended September 30, 2013, 2014 and 2015 are as follows:
Cost of services
General and administrative expenses
Selling expenses
F-50
2013
As of September 30,
2014
US$ US$
—
503
—
503
56
522
47
625
2015
US$
143
1,566
74
1,783
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
20. CASH DIVIDEND
On November 13, 2012, the Company approved and declared a cash dividend of US$0.12 per ordinary share on its total
135,409,521 outstanding shares as of the close of trading on December 7, 2012, resulting in payments totaling US$16,056 to
shareholders. Such dividend was recorded as a reduction to additional paid-in capital since the Company had cumulative deficits
at the declaration date.
On November 20, 2013, the Company approved and declared a cash dividend of US$0.15 per ordinary share on its total
136,409,633 outstanding shares as of the close of trading on January 8, 2014, resulting in payments totaling US$20,258 to
shareholders. Such dividend was recorded as a reduction against retained earnings to the extent of the balance as of
November 20, 2013 retained by the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries in the PRC and then as a reduction against additional
paid-in capital for the remainder.
On November 18, 2014, the Company approved and declared a cash dividend of US$0.20 per ordinary share on its total
142,878,373 outstanding shares as of the close of trading on January 6, 2015, resulting in payments totaling US$28,199 to
shareholders. Such dividend was recorded as a reduction against retained earnings to the extent of the balance as of
November 18, 2014 retained by the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries in the PRC and then as a reduction against additional
paid-in capital for the remainder.
F-51
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2013, 2014 AND 2015
(In thousands, except share and per share data, or otherwise noted)
21. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
On November 11, 2015, the Company approved and declared a cash dividend of US$0.225 per ordinary share on its outstanding
shares to shareholders of record as of the close of trading on January 6, 2016. Holders of ADS, each representing four ordinary
shares of CDEL, are accordingly entitled to the cash dividend of $0.90 per ADS. The depository, Deutsche Bank Trust
Company Americas, will charge a fee of $0.02 per ADS when the dividends are distributed on or about January 13, 2016.
On November 11, 2015, the Board of Directors approved an increase to the share repurchase authorization of an additional
$10,000 to a total of $20,000.
The Group is in the process to submit its application of Zhengbao Yucai Education Technology Co., Ltd. (“Zhengbao Yucai”),
an original 100% owned subsidiary of the consolidated VIE of the Group, for listing on the National Equities Exchange and
Quotations, an emerging over-the-counter market in China. To facilitate the proposed listing, the 99.73% equity interest of
Zhengbao Yucai owned by Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., was transferred to Beijing Champion Distance Education
Technology Co., Ltd., in October 2015. The rest 0.27% equity interest of Zhengbao Yucai was owned by Beijing Champion
Wangge Education Technology Co., Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. The transfer is a
transaction under common control as both are entities consolidated by the Group. In January 2016, Zhengbao Yucai issued new
shares to selected directors, officers and employees, and as a result, the equity interest of the Group in Zhengbao Yucai reduced
to 60.1%. The net proceeds received by Zhengbao Yucai amounted to RMB 31.7 million ($4,993).
In December 2015, the Group incorporated Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., (“Zhongxi
Healthcare Education”), in the PRC. Also in December 2015, a series of contractual arrangements was signed among Zhongxi
Healthcare Education, Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd (“Champion Healthcare Education”), a
private company domiciled in the PRC owned by Zhengdong Zhu and Baohong Yin, and the shareholders of Champion
Healthcare Education. These contractual arrangements include an exclusive business cooperation agreement, an equity pledge
agreement, an exclusive option agreement, the powers of attorney and letter of undertaking. The purpose of this arrangement is
to facilitate further development of healthcare education related services and products.
F-52
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
Additional Information - Financial Statement Schedule I
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company
BALANCE SHEETS
(U.S. dollars in thousands, except share data and per share data)
ASSETS
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Prepayment and other current assets
Amount due from subsidiaries
Total current assets
Non-current assets
Investment in subsidiaries
Total non-current assets
Total assets
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
Amount due to subsidiaries
Bank borrowing
Total current liabilities
Total liabilities
Shareholders’ equity
Ordinary shares (par value of US$0.0001 per share at September 30, 2014 and 2015; Authorized –
500,000,000 and 500,000,000 shares at September 30, 2014 and 2015; Issued and outstanding –
142,752,873 and 142,406,933 shares at September 30, 2014 and 2015, respectively)
Additional paid-in capital
Accumulated other comprehensive income
Retained earnings
Total equity
Total liabilities and equity
F-53
As of September 30,
2015
US$
2014
US$
9,453
11,740
280
304
2,707
3,889
14,751 13,622
86,976 110,401
86,976 110,401
101,727 124,023
185
296
3,132 16,451
— 16,467
3,317 33,214
3,317 33,214
14
14
77,270 55,598
6,220
2,735
14,906 32,462
98,410 90,809
101,727 124,023
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
Additional Information - Financial Statement Schedule I
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(U.S. dollars in thousands, except share data and per share data)
Cost of revenues
Selling expenses
General and administrative expenses
Operating loss
Equity in income of subsidiaries and variable interest entities
Interest income
Interest expense
Exchange gain
Net income
F-54
For the years ended September 30,
2013
US$
2014
US$
(56) —
(47) —
(1,556) (1,378)
(1,659) (1,378)
15,215 24,627
160
8
— —
— —
13,564 23,409
2015
US$
(143)
(74)
(2,540)
(2,757)
26,910
31
(178)
567
24,573
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
Additional Information - Financial Statement Schedule I
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company
STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
(U.S. dollars in thousands, except share data and per share data)
Net income
Other comprehensive (loss) income:
Foreign currency translation adjustment
Total comprehensive income
2013
Years ended September 30,
2014
US$ US$
13,564 23,409 24,573
2015
US$
1,373
(3,485)
14,937 23,334 21,088
(75)
F-55
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
Additional Information - Financial Statement Schedule I
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
(U.S. dollars in thousands, except share data and per share data)
China Distance Education Holding Limited shareholders
Number of
ordinary
shares
Ordinary
shares
US$
Additional
paid-in
capital
US$
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
income
US$
Balance as of September 30, 2012
Net income for the year
Foreign currency translation adjustments
Repurchase of ordinary shares
Options exercised
Stock-based compensation expense (Note 19)
Dividends (Note 20)
Loan to optionees in connection with exercise of
options
Balance as of September 30, 2013
Net income for the year
Foreign currency translation adjustments
Repurchase of ordinary shares
Issuance of new ordinary shares (Note 12)
Options exercised
Stock-based compensation expense (Note 19)
Dividends (Note 20)
Repayment of loan to optionees in connectionwith
exercise of options
Balance as of September 30, 2014
Net income for the year
Foreign currency translation adjustments
Repurchase of ordinary shares
Options exercised
Stock-based compensation expense (Note 19)
Dividends (Note 20)
Repayment of loan to optionees in connectionwith
exercise of options
Balance as of September 30, 2015
134,386,849
—
—
(67,100)
987,392
225,000
—
—
135,532,141
—
—
—
6,000,000
1,095,732
125,000
—
—
142,752,873
—
—
(1,137,236)
123,924
667,372
—
13 61,777
—
—
—
—
(93)
—
602
1
—
625
— (16,056)
—
(113)
14 46,742
—
—
—
—
—
—
— 29,088
491
—
503
—
(286)
—
—
732
14 77,270
—
—
—
—
(3,333)
—
18
—
—
1,783
— (21,182)
Retained
earnings/
(Cumulative
deficits)
US$
(2,095)
13,564
—
—
—
—
—
—
11,469
23,409
—
—
—
—
—
(19,972)
4,922
—
1,373
—
—
—
—
—
6,295
—
(75)
—
—
—
—
—
—
6,220
—
(3,485)
—
—
—
—
—
14,906
24,573
—
—
—
—
(7,017)
Total
equity
US$
64,617
13,564
1,373
(93)
603
625
(16,056)
(113)
64,520
23,409
(75)
—
29,088
491
503
(20,258)
732
98,410
24,573
(3,485)
(3,333)
18
1,783
(28,199)
—
142,406,933
—
1,042
14 55,598
—
2,735
—
32,462
1,042
90,809
F-56
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
Additional Information - Financial Statement Schedule I
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(U.S. dollars in thousands, except share data and per share data)
For the years ended September 30,
2015
US$
2013
US$
2014
US$
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net (loss) income
Adjustments to reconcile net incometo net cash used in operating activities:
Equity in profit of subsidiaries and variable interest entities
Share-based compensation
Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses and other liabilities
(Increase) decrease in amounts due from subsidiaries
Decrease (increase) in prepayments and other assets
Increase in amounts due to a subsidiary
Increase in short-term borrowing
Net cash generated in operating activities
Repurchase of ordinary shares
Proceeds from share options exercised by employees
Loan to optionees in connection with exercise of options
Repayment of loan to optioneesin connection with exercise of options
Issuance of new shares
Dividends paid to shareholders
Net cash used in financing activities
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents and end of the year
F-57
13,564 23,409
24,573
(15,215) (24,627)
503
625
(624)
650
(65)
6,262
(26)
15
784
93
— —
(646)
5,994
(93) —
603
491
(408)
(510)
295 1,242
— 29,088
(16,056) (20,258)
(15,659) 10,053
(9,665) 9,407
11,998 2,333
2,333 11,740
(26,910)
1,783
111
(1,182)
24
13,319
16,467
28,185
(3,333)
18
—
1,042
—
(28,199)
(30,472)
(2,287)
11,740
9,453
CHINA DISTANCE EDUCATION HOLDINGS LIMITED
Additional Information - Financial Statement Schedule I
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(U.S. dollars in thousands, except share data and per share data)
1.
BASIS FOR PREPARATION
The condensed financial information of the Parent Company has been prepared using the same accounting policies as set out in
the Group’s consolidated financial statements except that the Parent Company used the equity method to account for
investments in its subsidiaries and VIE. The condensed financial information is provided since the restricted net assets of the
Group’s subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries were over the 25% of the consolidated net assets of the Group as of
September 30, 2015.
2.
INVESTMENTS IN SUBSIDIARIES AND VIE
In its consolidated financial statements, the Parent Company consolidates the results of operations and assets and liabilities of its
subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries, and inter-company balances and transactions were eliminated upon consolidation. For
the purpose of the Parent Company’s standalone financial statements, its investments in subsidiaries are reported using the
equity method of accounting as a single line item and the Parent Company’s share of income from its subsidiaries are reported
as the single line item of equity in income of subsidiaries and variable interest entities.
The Parent Company carried the investments in subsidiaries and VIE at $86,976 and $110,401 at September 30, 2014 and 2015,
respectively.
The Parent Company’s share of equity in income in subsidiaries and the VIE recognized in years ended September 30, 2013,
2014 and 2015 was $15,215, $24,627and $26,910, respectively.
F-58
Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement
Exhibit 4.30
This Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into by and between the following
parties on December 28, 2015 in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”).
Party A: Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Address: Room 1810, 18/F, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing
Party B: Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Address: Room 303A, 3/F, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing
Each of Party A and Party B shall be hereinafter referred to as a “Party” respectively, and collectively as the “Parties”.
Whereas,
1.
2.
3.
Party A is a wholly foreign owned enterprise incorporated and existing under the PRC laws, and has necessary resources to
support technology development and marketing of healthcare education and management, and development of computer
software and distance education software in healthcare fields.
Party B is a domestic company incorporated and existing under the PRC laws and is permitted by competent PRC government
authorities to engage in internet information services and other businesses. The businesses conducted by Party B currently and
at any time during the term of this Agreement are collectively referred to as the “Principal Business”;
Party A is willing to provide Party B with marketing services, management consultation services, technical services and other
services on exclusive basis in relation to the Principal Business during the term of this Agreement, utilizing its advantages in
human resources, information and technology, and Party B is willing to accept such services provided by Party A or Party A’s
designee(s), each on the terms set forth herein.
1
Therefore, through mutual discussion, the Parties have agreed to execute the following agreements:
1.
Services Provided by Party A
1.1 According to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Party B hereby appoints Party A as Party B’s exclusive
services provider during the term of this Agreement to provide Party B with comprehensive marketing services,
management consultation services, technical support and other services, including but not limited to the follows:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Providing business management consultation services for Party B;
Providing consultation services regarding healthcare distance education and internet information services for
Party B;
Providing healthcare courseware production, technical support regarding distance education and internet
information services for Party B (excluding technical support and services that wholly foreign owned enterprises
are prohibited from conducting under PRC law);
Assisting Party B in consultancy, collection and research of technology and market information regarding to
healthcare distance education (excluding market research business that wholly foreign owned enterprises are
prohibited from conducting under PRC law);
(5)
Licensing Party B to use any domain name or trademark legally owned by Party A;
2
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
Licensing Party B to use any software legally owned by Party A;
Providing software development, maintenance and update services necessary for Party B’s business;
Providing network system, hardware devices and database design, installation, daily management, maintenance
and updating services and other relevant services for Party B;
Providing technical support and training for employees of Party B;
Leasing of equipments or properties to Party B; and
Other services requested by Party B from time to time to the extent permitted under the PRC laws.
1.2
Party B agrees to accept all the services provided by Party A. Party B further agrees that unless with Party A’s prior
written consent, during the term of this Agreement, Party B shall not directly or indirectly accept the same or any similar
services provided by any other third party and shall not establish identical or similar corporation relationship with any
third party regarding the matters contemplated by this Agreement. Party A and Party B agree that, the technology
involved in the services provided by Party A may be the technology owned by Party A or purchased by Party A from
any third parties. Party A may appoint other parties, who may enter into certain agreements described in Section 1.3 of
this Agreement with Party B, to provide Party B with the services under this Agreement.
1.3
Provision of Service
1.3.1
Party A and Party B agree that during the term of this Agreement, where necessary, Party B may enter into
further service agreements with Party A or any other party designated by Party A, which shall provide the
specific contents, manner, personnel and fees for the specific services.
3
1.3.2 To fulfill this Agreement, Party A and Party B agree that during the term of this Agreement, where necessary,
Party B may enter into intellectual property (including but not limited to software, trademark, patent, know-how
and domain name) licensing agreement with Party A or any other party designated by Party A which shall
license Party B to use Party A’s relevant intellectual property rights, or Party B may enter into equipment or
property leases with Party A or any other party designated by Party A which shall permit Party B to use Party
A’s relevant equipment or property, based on the needs of the business of Party B.
1.3.3
Party B hereby grants to Party A an irrevocable and exclusive option to purchase from Party B, at Party A’s sole
discretion, any or all of the assets and business of Party B, to the extent permitted and at the lowest purchase
price permitted under the PRC laws. The Parties shall then enter into a separate assets or business transfer
agreement, specifying the terms and conditions of the transfer of such assets.
2.
Calculation and Payment of Service Fees
2.1
The fees payable by Party B to Party A during the term of this Agreement shall be calculated as follows:
2.1.1
Party A and Party B agree that, Party B shall pay service fee to Party A on a quarterly basis and the amount of
service fee paid by Party B of a quarter shall equal to Party B’s revenue of such quarter minus the marketing
costs, operating fees and other expenses (including marketing expenses, management expenses and financial
expenses) of Party B of that quarter permitted by Party A.
4
2.1.2
2.1.4
Party A and Party B agree that, where necessary, Party B may pay service fee to Party A based on the time spent
by Party A for providing such service and fees scale determined beforehand.
If Party A transfers technology to Party B or develops software or other technology as entrusted by Party B or
leases equipments or properties to Party B, the technology transfer price, development fees or rent shall be
determined by the Parties based on the actual situations.
2.2 During the term of this Agreement, Party A shall, within the first 15 days of each quarter, provide Party B with a written
notice of service fee payment in connection with the content and amount of services during the preceding quarter. The
amount of service fee contained in the notice of service fee payment shall be final and certain. Party B shall, within the
first 30 days of each quarter, fully and promptly pay the service fee of the preceding quarter as requested by the notice
of service fee payment to Party A.
2.3
Prior to Party A’s issuance of a written notice of service fee payment to Party B in relation to the service fee, Party B
shall promptly and accurately provide Party A with the precise amount of its revenue, marketing expenses, operating
expenses and other relevant fees for the preceding quarter and its financial statements for Party A’s review and
verification.
2.4
Party A is entitled to reduce the amount of service fee or permit Party B to defer the payment of service fee based on the
actual operating situations of Party B to ensure its proper operation.
2.5 On the premise of complying with the PRC laws, Party A agrees that, during the term of this Agreement, it is entitled to
and responsible for all economic benefits and risks derived by Party B. If any operating loss or critical operation
adversity occurs in Party B, Party A shall provide financial support to Party B, and only Party A can decide whether
Party B should continue its operation under such circumstances and Party B shall unconditionally accept and execute the
decision made by Party A as aforesaid.
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3.
Intellectual Property Rights and Confidentiality Terms
3.1
3.2
Party A shall have exclusive and proprietary ownership, rights and interests in any and all intellectual properties arising
out of or created during the performance of this Agreement, including but not limited to copyrights, patents, patent
applications, software, technical secrets, trade secrets and others. Party B shall execute all appropriate documents, take
all appropriate actions, submit all filings and/or applications, render all appropriate assistance and otherwise conduct
whatever necessary as deemed by Party A at its sole discretion for the purposes of vesting any ownership, right or
interest of any such intellectual property rights in Party A, and/or perfecting the protections for any such intellectual
property rights in Party A.
The Parties acknowledge and confirm that this Agreement and the terms herein, and any oral or written information
exchanged between the Parties in connection with the preparation and performance of this Agreement shall be regarded
as confidential information. Each Party shall maintain confidentiality of all such confidential information, and without
obtaining the written consent of the other Party, it shall not disclose any relevant confidential information to any third
party, except for the information that (1) is or will be in the public domain (other than through the receiving Party’s
unauthorized disclosure); (2) is under the obligation to be disclosed pursuant to the applicable laws or regulations, rules
of any stock exchange, or orders of the court or other government authorities; or (3) is required to be disclosed by any
Party to its shareholders, directors, employees, legal counsels or financial advisors regarding the transaction
contemplated hereunder, provided that such shareholders, directors, employees, legal counsels or financial advisors shall
be bound by the confidentiality obligations similar to those set forth in this Section. Disclosure of any confidential
information by the shareholders, director, employees of or agencies engaged by any Party shall be deemed disclosure of
such confidential information by such Party and such Party shall be held liable for breach of this Agreement.
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4.
Representations and Warranties
4.1
Party A hereby represents, warrants and covenants as follows:
4.1.1
4.1.2
Party A is a wholly foreign owned enterprise legally incorporated and validly existing in accordance with the
PRC laws; Party A or the service providers designated by Party A will obtain necessary government permits and
licenses for providing the service under this Agreement before providing such services.
Party A has taken all necessary corporate actions, obtained all necessary authorizations as well as all consents
and approvals from third parties and government authorities (if required) for the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement. Party A’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not violate
any explicit requirements under any laws or regulations.
4.1.3 This Agreement constitutes Party A’s legal, valid and binding obligations, enforceable against it in accordance
with its terms.
4.2
Party B hereby represents, warrants and covenants as follows:
4.2.1
4.2.2
Party B is a company legally incorporated and validly existing in accordance with the PRC laws and has
obtained and will maintain all governmental permits and licenses for engaging in the Principal Business.
Party B has taken all necessary corporate actions, obtained all necessary authorizations as well as all consents
and approvals from third parties and government authorities (if required) for the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement. Party B’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not violate
any explicit requirements under any laws or regulations.
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4.2.3 This Agreement constitutes Party B’s legal, valid and binding obligations, and shall be enforceable against it in
accordance with its terms.
4.2.4 During the term of this Agreement, if the PRC laws or the PRC government authorities set out new regulations
or other requirements regarding the performance of this Agreement or relevant agreements, to meet the
regulatory requirements and for the purpose of carrying out exclusive business cooperation with Party A, Party
B shall provide full cooperation for Party A to make corresponding adjustments and improvements on the terms
of this Agreement.
4.2.5
Party B shall not dispose any of its material assets in any matter, or adjust its existing shareholding structure
without Party A’s written consent.
5.
Term of Agreement
5.1
This Agreement shall become effective upon execution by the Parties. Unless terminated in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement or terminated in writing by Party A, this Agreement shall remain effective.
5.2 During the term of this Agreement, each Party shall renew its operation term prior to the expiration thereof so as to
enable this Agreement to remain effective. This Agreement shall be terminated upon the expiration of the operation term
of a Party if the application for renewal of its operation term is not approved by relevant government authorities.
5.3
The rights and obligations of the Parties under Sections 3, 6, 7 and this Section 5.3 shall survive the termination of this
Agreement.
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6.
Governing Law and Resolution of Disputes
6.1
6.2
The execution, validity, interpretation, performance, amendment and termination of this Agreement and the resolution
of disputes hereunder shall be governed by the PRC laws.
In the event of any dispute with respect to the construction and performance of this Agreement, the Parties shall first
resolve the dispute through friendly negotiations. In the event the Parties fail to reach an agreement on the dispute
within 30 days after either Party’s request to the other Party for resolution of the dispute through negotiations, either
Party may submit the relevant dispute to the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission for
arbitration, in accordance with its arbitration rules. The arbitration shall be conducted in Beijing, and the language used
in arbitration shall be Chinese. The arbitration award shall be final and binding on both Parties.
6.3 Upon the occurrence of any disputes arising from the interpretation and performance of this Agreement or during the
pending arbitration of any dispute, except for the matters under dispute, the Parties shall continue to exercise their
respective rights and perform their respective obligations under this Agreement.
7.
Breach of Agreement and Indemnification
7.1
If Party B conducts any material breach of any term of this Agreement, Party A shall have right to terminate this
Agreement and/or require Party B to compensate all damages; this Section 7.1 shall not prejudice any other rights of
Party A herein.
7.2 Unless otherwise required by applicable laws, Party B shall not have any right to terminate this Agreement in any event.
7.3
Party B shall indemnify and hold harmless Party A from any losses, damages, liabilities or expenses caused by any
lawsuit, claims or other demands against Party A arising from or caused by the services provided by Party A to Party B
pursuant this Agreement, except where such losses, damages, liabilities or expenses arise from the gross negligence or
willful misconduct of Party A.
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8.
Force Majeure
8.1
8.2
In the case of any force majeure events (the “Force Majeure”) such as earthquake, typhoon, flood, fire, epidemic, war,
strikes or any other events that cannot be predicted and are unpreventable and unavoidable by the affected Party, which
directly or indirectly causes the failure of either Party to perform or completely perform this Agreement, then the Party
affected by such Force Majeure shall not be liable for such failure of, or partial performance of this Agreement.
However, such affected Party shall give the other Party written notices without any delay, and shall provide details of
such event within 15 days after sending out such notice, explaining the reasons for such failure of, partial or delay of
performance.
If such Party claiming Force Majeure fails to notify the other Party and furnish it with proof pursuant to the above
provision, such Party shall not be excused from the non-performance of its obligations hereunder. The Party so affected
by the event of Force Majeure shall use reasonable efforts to minimize the consequences of such Force Majeure and to
promptly resume performance hereunder whenever the causes of such excuse are cured. Should the Party so affected by
the event of Force Majeure fail to resume performance hereunder when the causes of such excuse are cured, such Party
shall be liable to the other Party.
8.3
In the event of Force Majeure, the Parties shall immediately consult with each other to find an equitable solution and
shall use all reasonable efforts to minimize the consequences of such Force Majeure.
9.
Notices
9.1 All notices and other communications required or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be delivered
personally or sent by registered mail with postage prepaid, by a commercial courier service or by facsimile transmission
to the address of such Party set forth below. A copy of each notice shall also be sent by email. The date on which notice
is deemed to be effectively given shall be determined as follows:
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9.1.1 Notices given by personal delivery, by courier service or by registered mail, postage prepaid, shall be deemed
effectively given on the date of receipt or refusal at the address specified for notices.
9.1.2 Notices given by facsimile transmission shall be deemed effectively given on the date of successful transmission
(as evidenced by an automatically generated confirmation of transmission).
9.2
For the purpose of notices, the addresses of the Parties are as follows:
Party A: Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Address:
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s
Republic of China
Attn:
Zhi Wang
Phone:
86-10-82337885
Facsimile: 86-10-82337887
Party B: Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Address:
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s
Republic of China
Attn:
Zhi Wang
Phone:
86-10-82337885
Facsimile: 86-10-82337887
9.3 Any Party may at any time change its address for notices by delivering a notice to the other Party in accordance with the
terms hereof.
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10. Assignment
10.1 Without Party A’s prior written consent, Party B shall not assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement to any
third party.
10.2 Party B agrees that Party A may assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement to any third party and in case of
such assignment, Party A is only required to give written notice to Party B and does not need any consent from Party B.
11.
Severability
In the event that one or several of the provisions of this Agreement are found to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any aspect
in accordance with any laws or regulations, the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall
not be affected or compromised in any aspect. The Parties shall negotiate in good faith to replace such invalid, illegal or
unenforceable provisions with effective provisions that accomplish to the greatest extent permitted by law and the intentions of the
Parties, and the economic effect of such effective provisions shall be as close as possible to the economic effect of those invalid,
illegal or unenforceable provisions.
12. Amendments and Supplements
Any amendments and supplements to this Agreement shall be in writing. The amendment agreements and supplementary
agreements that have been executed by the Parties and relate to this Agreement shall be an integral part of this Agreement and shall
have the equal legal validity as this Agreement.
13.
Language and Counterparts
This Agreement is written in Chinese and English in four copies, with each Party having two copies. The Chinese version and
English version shall have equal legal validity. If there is any conflict between the Chinese version and the English version, the
Chinese version shall prevail.
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The Remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused their authorized representative to execute this Exclusive Business Cooperative
Agreement as of the date first above written.
Party A: Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
By:
Name: Zhengdong Zhu
Title:
Legal Representative
Party B: Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
By:
Name: Zhengdong Zhu
Title:
Legal Representative
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Equity Pledge Agreement
Exhibit 4.31
This Equity Pledge Agreement (this “Agreement”) is executed by and among the following parties on December 28, 2015 in
Beijing, the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”):
Party A (hereinafter “Pledgee”):
Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly foreign owned enterprise incorporated
and existing under the laws of the PRC with its address at Room 1810, 18/F, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing;
Party B:
Zhengdong Zhu, a PRC citizen with the PRC Identification No.: 320102196806142439
Party C:
Baohong Yin, a PRC citizen with the PRC Identification No.: 320102196710242849;
Party D:
Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., a limited liability company incorporated and existing
under the laws of the PRC with its address at Room 303A, 3/F, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing.
Under this Agreement, Party B and Party C shall be referred to as “Pledgors”, and each of Pledgee, Pledgors and Party D shall
be referred to as a “Party” respectively, and collectively referred to as the “Parties”.
Whereas:
1.
Pledgors hold an aggregate of 100% of equity interests of Party D as of the date hereof, representing RMB 32,000,000 in the
registered capital of Party D. Party D is a limited liability company incorporated and existing under the laws of the PRC. Party
D acknowledges the respective rights and obligations of Pledgors and Pledgee under this Agreement, and intends to provide
necessary assistance in registering the Pledge (as defined below);
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2.
3.
Pledgee is a wholly foreign owned enterprise incorporated and existing under laws of the PRC. Pledgee and Party D have
executed an Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement (as defined below); Party D, Pledgee and Pledgors have executed an
Exclusive Option Agreement (as defined below); and each Pledgor has executed a Power of Attorney to Pledgee.
To ensure that Party D and Pledgors fully perform their obligations under the Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement, the
Exclusive Option Agreement and the Power of Attorney, Pledgors hereby pledge to Pledgee all of the equity interest they
aggregately hold in Party D as security for the performance of Party D and Pledgors’ obligations under the Exclusive Business
Cooperation Agreement, the Exclusive Option Agreement, and the Power of Attorney.
To fulfill the provisions of the Transaction Documents (as defined below), the Parties have mutually agreed to execute this
Agreement upon the following terms.
1.
Definitions
Unless otherwise provided herein, the terms below shall have the following meanings:
1.1
1.2
1.3
“Pledge” shall refer to the security interest granted by Pledgors to Pledgee pursuant to Section 2 of this Agreement, i.e.,
the right of Pledgee to be compensated on a preferential basis with the conversion or proceeds from auction or sale of
the Equity Interest.
“Equity Interest” shall refer to all of the equity interest now held and hereafter acquired by Pledgors in Party D.
“Term of Pledge” shall refer to the term set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement.
2
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
“Transaction Documents” shall refer to the Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement executed by and between Party
D and Pledgee on December 28, 2015 (the “Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement”), the Exclusive Option
Agreement executed by and among Party D, Pledgee and Pledgors on December 28, 2015 (the “Exclusive Option
Agreement”), the Power of Attorney executed on December 28, 2015 by Pledgors (the “Power of Attorney”) and any
modification, amendment and/or restatement to the aforementioned documents.
“Contract Obligation” shall refer to all the obligations of Pledgors under the Exclusive Option Agreement, the Power of
Attorney and this Agreement; all the obligations of Party D under the Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement, the
Exclusive Option Agreement and this Agreement.
“Secured Indebtedness” shall refer to all the direct, indirect or derivative losses of Pledgee, including loss of foreseeable
profits, incurred as a result of any Event of Default (as defined below). The amount of such loss shall be based on,
including but not limited to, the reasonable business plan and profit forecast of Pledgee, the consulting and service fees
payable to Pledgee under the Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement, and all expenses occurred in connection with
enforcement by Pledgee of Pledgors and/or Party D’s Contract Obligation.
“Event of Default” shall refer to any of the circumstances set forth in Section 7 of this Agreement.
“Notice of Default” shall refer to the notice issued by Pledgee in accordance with this Agreement declaring an Event of
Default.
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2.
The Pledge
2.1
Pledgors agree to pledge all the Equity Interest as security for performance of the Contract Obligation and payment of
the Secured Indebtedness under this Agreement. Party D hereby agrees that Pledgors pledge the Equity Interest to
Pledgee pursuant to this Agreement.
2.2 During the Term of Pledge, Pledgee is entitled to receive any dividends distributed on the Equity Interest. Pledgors may
receive dividends distributed on the Equity Interest subject to prior written consent obtained from Pledgee. Dividends
received by Pledgors on Equity Interest, subject to request of Pledgee, shall be (1) deposited into an account designated
and supervised by Pledgee and used to secure the performance of Contract Obligation and pay off the Secured
Indebtedness prior and in preference to any other payment; or (2) unconditionally distributed to Pledgee or any other
person designated by Pledgee to the extent permitted under applicable PRC laws.
2.3
2.4
Pledgors may subscribe for capital increase in Party D subject to prior written consent of Pledgee. Any equity interest
obtained by Pledgors in such future capital increase shall be deemed as Equity Interest.
In the event that Party D is forced to be liquidated or dissolved under applicable PRC laws, any interest distributed to
Pledgors upon Party D’s liquidation or dissolution, subject to the request of Pledgee, shall be (1) deposited into an
account designate and supervised by Pledgee and used to secure the performance of Contract Obligation and pay off the
Secured Indebtedness prior and in preference to any other payment; or (2) unconditionally distributed to Pledgee or any
other person designated by Pledgee to the extent permitted under applicable PRC laws.
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3.
Term of Pledge
3.1
The Pledge shall become effective when the pledge of the Equity Interest contemplated herein is registered with
competent administration for industry and commerce (the “AIC”). The Pledge shall be valid until all Contract
Obligation and Secured Indebtedness are fully performed and paid. Pledgors and Party D shall (1) register the Pledge in
the shareholders’ register of Party D within 3 business days following the execution of this Agreement and/or the
completion of increase of registered capital of Party D, and (2) submit an application to the AIC for the registration of
the Pledge of the Equity Interest contemplated herein within 30 business days following the execution of this Agreement
and/or the completion of increase of registered capital of Party D. The Parties mutually covenant that for the purpose of
registration of the Pledge, the Parties hereto and all other shareholders of Party D shall submit to the AIC this
Agreement or an equity interest pledge contract in the form required by the AIC at the location of Party D which shall
truly reflect the information of the Pledge hereunder (hereinafter “AIC Pledge Contract”). For matters not specified in
the AIC Pledge Contract, the Parties shall be bound by the provisions of this Agreement. Pledgors and Party D shall
submit all necessary documents and complete all necessary procedures as required by the PRC laws and regulations and
the AIC, to ensure that the Pledge be registered with the AIC as soon as possible after submission of application.
3.2 During the Term of Pledge, in the event Pledgors and/or Party D fails to perform the Contract Obligation or pay off
Secured Indebtedness, Pledgee shall have the option to exercise the Pledge in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
4.
Custody of Records for Equity Interest subject to Pledge
4.1 During the Term of Pledge set forth in this Agreement, Pledgors shall deliver to Pledgee’s custody the capital
contribution certificate for the Equity Interest and the shareholders’ register containing the Pledge within one week from
the execution of this Agreement and/or the completion of increase of registered capital of Party D. Pledgee shall have
custody of such documents during the entire Term of Pledge set forth in this Agreement.
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5.
Representations and Warranties of Pledgors and Party D
As of the date of this Agreement, Pledgors and Party D hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant to Pledgee that:
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
Pledgors respectively are the sole legal and beneficial owner of the Equity Interest.
Pledgee shall have the right to dispose of and transfer the Equity Interest in accordance with the provisions set forth in
this Agreement.
Except the Pledge, Pledgors have not placed any security interest or other encumbrance on the Equity Interest.
Pledgors and Party D have obtained any and all approvals and consents from competent government authorities and
third parties (if required) for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.
The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not (i) violate any relevant PRC laws; (ii) conflict with
Party D’s articles of association or other constitutional documents; (iii) result in any breach of or constitute any default
under any contract or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is otherwise bound; (iv) result in any violation of
any condition for the grant and/or maintenance of any permit or approval granted to any Party; or (v) cause any permit
or approval granted to any Party to be suspended, cancelled or attached with additional conditions.
6.
Covenants of Pledgors and Party D
6.1
Pledgors and Party D hereby jointly and severally covenant to Pledgee:
6.1.1
Pledgors shall not transfer the Equity Interest, in whole or in part, attach or permit the existence of any security
interest or other encumbrance on the Equity Interest, without the prior written consent of Pledgee, except for the
performance of the Transaction Documents;
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6.1.2
Pledgors and Party D shall comply with the provisions of all laws and regulations applicable to the pledge of
rights, and within 5 days of receipt of any notice, order or recommendation issued or prepared by relevant
competent authorities regarding the Pledge, shall present the aforementioned notice, order or recommendation to
Pledgee, and Pledgors and Party D shall comply with the aforementioned notice, order or recommendation or
submit objections and representations with respect to the aforementioned matters upon reasonable request or
consent of Pledgee;
6.1.3
Pledgors and Party D shall promptly notify Pledgee of any event or notice received by Pledgors that may have
an impact on Pledgee’s rights on the Equity Interest or any portion thereof, as well as any event or notice
received by Pledgors that may have an impact on any guarantees, representation and warranties and obligations
of Pledgors arising out of this Agreement.
6.1.4
Party D shall complete the registration procedures for extension of the term of operation within 3 months prior
to the expiration of such term to maintain the validity of this Agreement.
Pledgors agree that the rights acquired by Pledgee in accordance with this Agreement with respect to the Pledge shall
not be interrupted or infringed by Pledgors or any successor(s) or agent(s) of Pledgors or any other persons through any
legal proceedings.
To protect or perfect the security interest granted by this Agreement for the Contract Obligation and Secured
Indebtedness, Pledgors hereby undertake to execute in good faith and to cause other parties who have an interest in the
Pledge to execute all certificates, agreements, deeds and/or covenants required by Pledgee. Pledgors also undertake to
perform and to cause other parties who have an interest in the Pledge to perform actions required by Pledgee, to
facilitate the exercise by Pledgee of its rights and authority granted thereto by this Agreement, and to enter into all
relevant documents regarding ownership of Equity Interest with Pledgee or designee(s), whether natural persons or legal
persons, of Pledgee. Pledgors undertake to provide Pledgee with all notices, orders and decisions regarding the Pledge
that are required by Pledgee within a reasonable time.
6.2
6.3
7
6.4
Pledgors hereby undertake to comply with and perform all guarantees, promises, agreements, representations and
conditions under this Agreement. In the event of failure or partial performance of the guarantees, promises, agreements,
representations and conditions, Pledgors shall indemnify Pledgee for all losses resulting therefrom.
7.
Event of Default
7.1
The following circumstances shall be deemed Event of Default:
7.1.1
any Pledgors’ breach to any obligations under the Transaction Documents and/or this Agreement.
7.1.2
any Party D’s breach to any obligations under the Transaction Documents and/or this Agreement.
7.2 Upon notice or discovery of the occurrence of any circumstances or event that may lead to the circumstances described
in Section 7.1, Pledgors and Party D shall immediately notify Pledgee in writing accordingly.
7.3 Unless an Event of Default set forth in this Section 7.1 is successfully resolved to Pledgee’s satisfaction within 20 days
after Pledgee delivers a notice to Pledgors and/or Party D, requesting ratification of such Event of Default. Pledgee may
issue a Notice of Default to Pledgors in writing at any time thereafter, demanding to immediately exercise the Pledge in
accordance with the Section 8 of this Agreement.
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8.
Exercise of Pledge
8.1
8.2
Pledgee may issue a Notice of Default to Pledgors when exercising the Pledge.
Subject to Section 7.3, Pledgee may exercise the right to enforce the Pledge at any time after the issuance of the Notice
of Default in accordance with Section 8.1. Once Pledgee elects to exercise the right to enforce the Pledge, Pledgors shall
cease to be entitled to any rights or interests associated with the Equity Interest.
8.3 After the issuance of a Notice of Default in accordance with Section 8.1, Pledgee may exercise any remedy measure
under applicable PRC laws, the Transaction Documents and this Agreement, including but not limited to, be
compensated in priority by the conversion of the Equity Pledge or from the proceeds from auction or sale of the Equity
Interest. Pledgee shall have no liability for any loss incurred by its duly exercise of such rights and powers.
8.4
The proceeds from exercise of the Pledge by Pledgee shall be used to pay for tax and expenses incurred by disposing the
Equity Interest and perform Contract Obligation and pay off the Secured Indebtedness prior and in preference to any
other payment. After the payment of the aforementioned amounts, the remaining balance shall be returned to Pledgors
or any other person who have rights to such balance under applicable laws or be deposited to the local notary public
office where Pledgors reside, with all expense incurred being borne by Pledgors. To the extent permitted under
applicable PRC laws, Pledgors shall unconditionally give the aforementioned proceeds to Pledgee or any other person
designated by Pledgee.
8.5
Pledgee has the right to exercise any remedy measure available simultaneously or in any order. Pledgee may exercise
the right to be compensated in priority by the conversion of the Equity Pledge or from the proceeds from auction or sale
of the Equity Interest under this Agreement, without exercising any other remedy measure first.
9
8.6
Pledgee may designate its attorney or other agents to exercise the Pledge on its behalf, and Pledgors and Party D shall
not raise any objection to such exercise.
8.7 When Pledgee disposes of the Pledge in accordance with this Agreement, Pledgors and Party D shall provide necessary
assistance to enable Pledgee to exercise the Pledge.
9.
Breach of Agreement
9.1
9.2
If Pledgors or Party D conducts any material breach of any term of this Agreement, Pledgee shall have right to terminate
this Agreement and require the breaching party to compensate all damages; this Section 9 shall not prejudice any other
rights of Pledgee herein;
If Pledgee conducts any breach of any term of this Agreement, Pledgors or Party D shall not terminate this Agreement
in any event unless otherwise required by applicable laws.
10. Assignment
10.1 Unless otherwise consented by Pledgee in advance, Pledgors shall not have the right to assign or delegate its rights and
obligations under this Agreement.
10.2 This Agreement shall be binding on Pledgors, its successors and permitted assigns, and shall be valid on Pledgee and
each of its successors and assigns.
10.3 Pledgee may assign any and all of its rights and obligations under the Transaction Documents at any time to its designee
(s), in which case the designee(s) shall have the rights and obligations of Pledgee under this Agreement, as if it were the
original party to this Agreement. When Pledgee assigns the rights and obligations under the Transaction Documents,
upon Pledgee’s request, Pledgors and/or Party D shall execute relevant agreements or other documents relating to such
assignment.
10
10.4 In the event of a change in Pledgee due to an assignment, Pledgors and/or Party D shall, subject to the request of
Pledgee, execute a new pledge agreement with the new pledgee on the same terms and conditions as this Agreement,
and register the same with the AIC.
10.5 Pledgors and Party D shall strictly abide by the provisions of this Agreement and other contracts jointly or separately
executed by the Parties hereto or any of them, including the Transaction Documents, perform the obligations hereunder
and thereunder, and refrain from any action/forbearance that may affect the effectiveness and enforceability thereof.
Any remaining rights of Pledgors with respect to the Equity Interest shall not be exercised by Pledgors except in
accordance with the written instructions of Pledgee.
11.
Termination
11.1 Upon the fulfillment of all Contract Obligation and the payment of all Secured Indebtedness by Pledgors and Party D,
Pledgee shall, upon Pledgors’ request, release the Pledge under this Agreement as soon as reasonably practicable and
assist Pledgors to de-register the Pledge from the shareholders’ register of Party D and with the AIC.
11.2 The provisions under Sections 9, 13, 14 and this Section 11.2 of this Agreement shall survive the expiration or
termination of this Agreement.
12. Handling Fees and Other Expenses
All fees and out of pocket expenses relating to this Agreement, including but not limited to legal costs, costs of production,
stamp duty and any other taxes and fees, shall be borne by Party D.
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13. Confidentiality
The Parties acknowledge that the existence and the terms of this Agreement and any oral or written information exchanged
between the Parties in connection with the preparation and performance this Agreement are regarded as confidential
information. Each Party shall maintain confidentiality of all such confidential information, and without obtaining the written
consent of the other Party, it shall not disclose any relevant confidential information to any third parties, except for the
information that (a) is or will be in the public domain (other than through the receiving Party’s unauthorized disclosure); (b) is
under the obligation to be disclosed pursuant to the applicable laws or regulations, rules of any stock exchange, or orders of the
court or other government authorities; or (c) is required to be disclosed by any Party to its shareholders, investors, legal
counsels or financial advisors regarding the transaction contemplated hereunder, provided that such shareholders, investors,
legal counsels or financial advisors shall be bound by the confidentiality obligations similar to those set forth in this Section.
Disclosure of any confidential information by the staff members or agencies hired by any Party shall be deemed disclosure of
such confidential information by such Party, which Party shall be held liable for breach of this Agreement.
14. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
14.1 The execution, validity, interpretation, performance, amendment and termination of this Agreement and the resolution
of disputes hereunder shall be governed by the PRC laws.
14.2 In the event of any dispute with respect to the construction and performance of this Agreement, the Parties shall first
resolve the dispute through friendly negotiations. In the event the Parties fail to reach an agreement on the dispute
within 30 days after either Party’s request to the other Parties for resolution of the dispute through negotiations, either
Party may submit the relevant dispute to the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission for
arbitration, in accordance with its Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall be conducted in Beijing, and the language
used in arbitration shall be Chinese. The arbitration award shall be final and binding on all Parties.
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14.3 Upon the occurrence of any disputes arising from the construction and performance of this Agreement or during the
pending arbitration of any dispute, except for the matters under dispute, the Parties to this Agreement shall continue to
exercise their respective rights and perform their respective obligations under this Agreement.
15. Notices
15.1 All notices and other communications required or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be delivered
personally or sent by registered mail with postage prepaid, by a commercial courier service or by facsimile transmission
to the address of such Party set forth below. A copy of each notice shall also be sent by E-mail. The dates on which
notice is deemed to be effectively given shall be determined as follows:
15.2 Notices given by personal delivery, by courier service or by registered mail, postage prepaid, shall be deemed
effectively given on the date of delivery or refusal at the address specified for notices.
15.3 Notices given by facsimile transmission shall be deemed effectively given on the date of successful transmission (as
evidenced by an automatically generated confirmation of transmission).
15.4 For the purpose of notices, the addresses of the Parties are as follows:
Party A: Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Address:
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of
China
Attn:
Zhi Wang
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Phone:
86-10-82337885
Facsimile: 86-10-82337887
Party B: Zhengdong Zhu
Address:
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of
China
Phone:
86-10-82319999
Facsimile: 86-10-82337887
Party C: Baohong Yin
Address:
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of
China
Phone:
86-10-82319999
Facsimile: 86-10-82337887
Party D: Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Address:
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of
China
Attn:
Zhi Wang
Phone:
86-10-82337885
Facsimile: 86-10-82337887
15.5 Any Party may at any time change its address for notices by delivering a notice to other Parties in accordance with the
terms hereof.
16.
Severability
In the event that one or several provisions of this Agreement are found to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any aspect in
accordance with any laws or regulations, the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement
shall not be affected or compromised in any respect. The Parties shall strive in good faith to replace such invalid, illegal or
unenforceable provisions with effective provisions that accomplish to the greatest extent permitted by laws and the intentions
of the Parties, and the economic effect of such effective provisions shall be as close as possible to the economic effect of those
invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.
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17.
Effectiveness
17.1 This Agreement shall become effective upon execution by the Parties.
17.2 Any amendments, changes and supplements to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall become effective upon
completion of the governmental filing procedures (if applicable) after the affixation of the signatures or seals of the
Parties.
18.
Language and Counterparts
This Agreement is written in Chinese and English in five copies. Pledgors, Pledgee and Party D shall hold one copy
respectively and the other copy shall be used for registration. Each copy of this Agreement shall have equal validity. In the
event that there is any conflict between the Chinese version and the English version, the Chinese version shall prevail.
The Remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused their authorized representatives to execute this Equity Pledge Agreement as
of the date first above written.
Party A:
Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology
Co., Ltd.
By:
Name:
Title:
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Zhengdong Zhu
Legal Representative
Party B: Zhengdong Zhu
By:
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Party C: Baohong Yin
By:
/s/ Baohong Yin
Party B: Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
By:
Name:
Title:
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Zhengdong Zhu
Legal Representative
Exclusive Option Agreement
Exhibit 4.32
This Exclusive Option Agreement (this “Agreement”) is executed by and among the following Parties as of December28, 2015
in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”):
Party A:
Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly foreign owned enterprise, incorporated
and existing under the laws of the PRC, with its address at Room 1810, 18/F, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing;
Party B: Zhengdong Zhu, a PRC citizen with PRC Identification No.: 320102196806142439
Party C: Baohong Yin, a PRC citizen with PRC Identification No.: 320102196710242849;
Party D:
Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., a limited liability company incorporated and existing
under the laws of the PRC, with its address at Room 303A, 3/F, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing.
Under this Agreement, each of Party A, Party B, Party C and Party D shall be referred to as a “Party” respectively, and
collectively referred to as the “Parties”.
Whereas:
Party B and Party C are Party D’s shareholders and as of the date hereof, hold an aggregate of 100% equity interests of Party D,
representing RMB 32,000,000 in the registered capital of Party D.
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As of the date hereof, the Parties executed an equity pledge agreement (the “Equity Pledge Agreement”), each of Party B and Party
C executed a power of attorney (the “Power of Attorney”).
Now therefore, upon mutual discussion and negotiation, the Parties have agreed to execute the following agreement:
1.
Sale and Purchase of Equity Interest
1.1 Option Granted
1.1.1
Party B and Party C hereby irrevocably grant Party A an irrevocable and exclusive right to purchase, or
designate one or more persons (each, a “Designee”) to purchase, in a lump sum or by installments, the equity
interests in Party D, including any increased equity interests held as a result of the increase of registered capital
of Party D in future, held by Party B and Party C (the “Equity Interests”), at any time in part or in whole at
Party A’s sole and absolute discretion to the extent permitted by the PRC laws and at the price stipulated in
Section 1.3 herein (such right being the “Equity Interest Purchase Option”). No person other than Party A or
the Designee(s) shall be entitled to the Equity Interest Purchase Option or other rights with respect to the Equity
Interests. Party D hereby agrees to the grant by Party B and Party C of the Equity Interest Purchase Option to
Party A. Party B and Party C hereby waive any right of first refusal with respect to the Equity Interests granted
by Party D’s articles of association and the PRC laws, and irrevocably agree that any shareholder of Party D
transfers the Equity Interests to Party A and/or the Designee(s). The term “person” herein shall refer to
individuals, corporations, joint ventures, partnerships, enterprises, trusts or non-corporate organizations.
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1.1.2
Party B, Party C and Party D hereby acknowledge that the Equity Interest Purchase Option shall be deemed to
include the irrevocable rights to purchase all or part of Party D’s assets (including without limitation, all
tangible and intangible assets currently held or to be purchased in future by Party D, such as copyrights of
computer software, patents, patent applications, trademarks and domain names, etc.). All provisions and
conditions (including the term of purchase price) set forth in this Agreement shall be applicable in the event that
Party A and/or the Designee(s) purchase all or part of Party D’s assets pursuant to this Agreement, unless such
provisions or conditions violate the applicable laws. Party A and/or the Designee(s) may elect to purchase all or
part of the Equity Interests held by Party B or Party C respectively, or all or part of Party D’s assets, or the
combination of both.
1.2
Steps for Exercise of Equity Interest Purchase Option
Subject to the provisions of the PRC laws and regulations, Party A may exercise the Equity Interest Purchase Option by
issuing a written notice to Party B and Party C (the “Equity Interest Purchase Option Notice”), specifying (a) Party A
or the Designee(s)’ decision to exercise the Equity Interest Purchase Option; (b) the portion of equity interests to be
purchased by Party A or the Designee(s) from Party B and Party C (the “Purchased Equity”); and (c) the
purchase/transfer date with respect to the Purchased Equity.
1.3
Equity Interest Purchase Price
The purchase price for all the Equity Interests purchased by Party A by exercising the Equity Interest Purchase Option
(the “Base Price”) shall be RMB32,000,000; if Party A exercises the Equity Interest Purchase Option to purchase part
of the Equity Interests, the then applicable purchase price shall be calculated proportionally. If the PRC law requires a
minimum price higher than the Base Price when Party A exercises the Equity Interest Purchase Option, such minimum
price permitted by the PRC law shall be the purchase price (collectively, the “Equity Interest Purchase Price”).
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1.4
Transfer of Purchased Equity
For each exercise of the Equity Interest Purchase Option by Party A:
1.4.1
1.4.2
1.4.3
Party B and Party C shall cause Party D’s shareholders to adopt a resolution approving Party B and Party C’s
transfer of the Purchased Equity to Party A and/or the Designee(s);
Party B and Party C shall obtain the written statements from Party D’s other shareholders giving consent to the
transfer of the Purchased Equity to Party A and/or the Designee(s) and waiving any right of first refusal related
thereto (if applicable).
Party B and Party C shall execute an equity interest transfer contract with respect to each transfer with Party A
and/or each Designee (whichever is applicable), in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the
Equity Interest Purchase Option Notice;
1.4.4 The relevant Parties shall execute all other necessary contracts, agreements or documents, obtain all necessary
government licenses and permits and take all necessary actions to transfer valid ownership of the Purchased
Equity to Party A and/or the Designee(s), unencumbered by any security interests, and cause Party A and/or the
Designee(s) to become the registered owner(s) of the Purchased Equity. For the avoidance of doubt, “security
interests” shall include securities, mortgages, third party’s rights or interests, any stock options, acquisition
right, right of first refusal, right to offset, ownership retention or other security arrangements, but shall be
deemed to exclude any security interest created by this Agreement, the Equity Pledge Agreement and the Power
of Attorney.
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2.
Covenants
2.1
Covenants regarding Party D
Party B, Party C (each as a shareholder of Party D) and Party D hereby jointly and severally covenant as follows:
2.1.1 Without the prior written consent of Party A, they shall not in any manner supplement, change or amend any
constitutional documents of Party D, increase or decrease its registered capital, or change its registered capital or
shareholding structure in other manners;
2.1.2 They shall maintain Party D’s corporate existence in accordance with good financial and business standards and
custom, obtain and maintain all necessary government licenses and permits and practice by prudently and
effectively operating its business and handling its affairs;
2.1.3 Without the prior written consent of Party A, they shall not at any time following the date hereof, sell, transfer,
mortgage or dispose of in any manner any assets of Party D or legal or beneficial interest in the business or
revenues of Party D, or allow the encumbrance thereon of any security interest;
2.1.4 Without the prior written consent of Party A, they shall not incur, inherit, guarantee or suffer to exist of any debt
with respect to Party D, except for (i) debts incurred in the ordinary course of business other than through loans;
and (ii) debts disclosed to Party A for which Party A’s written consent has been obtained;
2.1.5 They shall always operate all of Party D’s businesses during the ordinary course of business to maintain the
asset value of Party D and refrain from any action/forbearance that may affect Party D’s operating status and
asset value;
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2.1.6 Without the prior written consent of Party A, they shall not cause Party D to execute any material contract,
terminate any existing material contract or cause Party D to execute any contract in conflict with the existing
material contract, except the contracts in the ordinary course of business;
2.1.7 Without the prior written consent of Party A, they shall not cause Party D to provide any person with any loan
or credit, or incur any material obligations except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business;
2.1.8 They shall provide Party A with information on Party D’s business operations and financial condition at Party
A’s request;
2.1.9
If requested by Party A, they shall procure and maintain insurance in respect of Party D’s assets and business
from an insurance carrier approved by Party A, at an amount and type of coverage typical for companies that
operate similar businesses;
2.1.10 Without the prior written consent of Party A, they shall not cause or permit Party D to merge or consolidate
with, acquire or invest in any person;
2.1.11 They shall immediately notify Party A of the occurrence or possible occurrence of any litigation, arbitration or
administrative proceedings relating to Party D’s assets, business or revenue;
2.1.12 To maintain the ownership by Party D of all of its assets, they shall execute all necessary or appropriate
documents, take all necessary or appropriate actions and file all necessary or appropriate complaints or raise
necessary and appropriate defenses against all claims;
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2.1.13 Without the prior written consent of Party A, they shall ensure that Party D shall not in any manner distribute
dividends to any of its shareholders; If Party A consents that Party D distributes dividends to Party B, Party C
and other shareholders of Party D (if any), then Party B, Party C and other shareholders of Party D (if any) shall
make all such Party D’s dividends and other distributions paid to Party A.
2.1.14 They shall not appoint or remove any directors, supervisors or other management of Party D which shall be
appointed or removed by Party B and Party C;
2.1.15 Without Party A’s prior written consent, they shall not engage in any business in competition with Party A or its
affiliates; and
2.1.16 Unless otherwise required by the PRC law, Party D shall not be terminated, dissolved or liquated without prior
written consent by Party A.
2.2
Covenants of Party B and Party C
Party B and Party C hereby jointly and severally covenant as follows:
2.2.1 Without the prior written consent of Party A, Party B and Party C shall not sell, transfer, mortgage or dispose of
in any other manner any legal or beneficial interest in the Equity Interests held by Party B and Party C, or allow
the encumbrance thereon, except for the interest placed in accordance with the Equity Pledge Agreement and
the Power of Attorney;
2.2.2 Without the prior written consent of Party A, Party B and Party C shall cause the shareholders and/or the
directors of Party D not to approve the sale, transfer, mortgage or disposition in any other manner of any legal or
beneficial interest in the Equity Interests held by Party B and Party C, or allow the encumbrance thereon of any
security interest, except for the interest placed pursuant to the Equity Pledge Agreement and the Power of
Attorney;
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2.2.3 Without the prior written consent of Party A, Party B and Party C shall cause the shareholders or the directors of
Party D not to approve the merger or consolidation with any person, or the acquisition of or investment in any
person;
2.2.4
2.2.5
Party B and Party C shall immediately notify Party A of the occurrence or possible occurrence of any litigation,
arbitration or administrative proceedings relating to the Equity Interests held by Party B and Party C;
Party B and Party C shall cause the shareholders or the directors of Party D to approve the transfer of the
Purchased Equity as set forth in this Agreement and to take any and all other actions that may be requested by
Party A;
2.2.6 To the extent necessary to maintain Party B and Party C’s ownership of the Equity Interests, Party B and Party
C shall execute all necessary or appropriate documents, take all necessary or appropriate actions and file all
necessary or appropriate complaints or raise necessary and appropriate defenses against all claims;
2.2.7
Party B and Party C shall appoint or remove any designee of Party A as the directors, supervisors or other
management of Party D which should be appointed or removed by Party B and Party C, at the request of Party
A;
2.2.8
Party B and Party C hereby waives its right of first of refusal to transfer of equity interest by the other existing
shareholders of Party D to Party A (if any);
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2.2.9
Party B, Party C or other shareholders of Party D (if any) shall promptly donate any profit, interest, dividend or
proceeds of liquidation to Party A and/or the Designee(s) to the extent permitted under applicable PRC laws;
and
2.2.10 Party B and Party C shall strictly abide by the provisions of this Agreement and other contracts jointly or
separately executed by the Parties, perform the obligations hereunder and thereunder, and refrain from any
action/forbearance that may affect the effectiveness and enforceability thereof. To the extent that Party B and
Party C has any remaining rights with respect to the Equity Interests under this Agreement, the Equity Pledge
Agreement or the Power of Attorney, Party B and Party C shall not exercise such rights except in accordance
with the written instructions of Party A.
3.
Representations and Warranties
Party B, Party C and Party D hereby represent and warrant to Party A, jointly and severally, as of the date of this Agreement
and each date of transfer of the Purchased Equity, that:
3.1
They have the authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and any equity interest transfer contracts to which they
are parties concerning the Purchased Equity to be transferred thereunder (each, a “Transfer Contract”), and to perform
their obligations under this Agreement and any Transfer Contract. Party B, Party C and Party D agree to enter into the
Transfer Contracts consistent with the terms of this Agreement upon Party A’s exercise of the Equity Interest Purchase
Option. This Agreement and the Transfer Contracts to which they are parties constitute or will constitute their legal,
valid and binding obligations and shall be enforceable against them in accordance with the provisions thereof;
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3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
Party B, Party C and Party D have obtained any and all approvals and consents from government authorities and third
parties (if necessary) for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.
The execution and delivery of this Agreement or any Transfer Contract and the obligations under this Agreement or any
Transfer Contract shall not (i) cause any violation of any applicable PRC laws; (ii) be inconsistent with any
constitutional documents of Party D; (iii) cause the violation of any contracts or instruments to which they are a party or
which are binding on them, or constitute any breach under any contracts or instruments to which they are a party or
which are binding on them; (iv) cause any violation of any condition for the grant and/or continued effectiveness of any
licenses or permits issued to either of them; or (v) cause the suspension or revocation of or imposition of additional
conditions to any licenses or permits issued to either of them;
Each of Party B and Party C has a good and merchantable title to the Equity Interests he/she holds. Except for the
Equity Pledge Agreement and the Power of Attorney, none of Party B or Party C has placed any security interest on
such equity interests;
Party D has a good and merchantable title to all of its assets, and has not placed any security interest on the
aforementioned assets;
Party D does not have any outstanding debts, except for (i) debt incurred in the ordinary course of business; and
(ii) debts disclosed to Party A for which Party A’s written consent has been obtained.
3.7
Party D has complied with all PRC laws and regulations applicable to asset acquisitions; and
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3.8
There is no pending or threatened litigation, arbitration or administrative proceeding relating to Party D, any of the
Equity Interests or any of Party’s assets.
4.
Term
This Agreement shall become effective upon duly execution by the Parties, and remain effective until all the Equity Interests
have been transferred or assigned to Party A and/or the Designee(s) in accordance with this Agreement.
5.
Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
5.1 Governing law
The execution, validity, interpretation, performance, amendment and termination of this Agreement and the resolution
of disputes hereunder shall be governed by the PRC laws.
5.2 Dispute Resolution
In the event of any dispute with respect to the interpretation and performance of this Agreement, the Parties shall first
resolve the dispute through friendly negotiations. In the event the Parties fail to reach an agreement on the dispute
within 30 days after either Party’s request to the other Parties for resolution of the dispute through negotiations, either
Party may submit the relevant dispute to the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission for
arbitration, in accordance with its arbitration rules. The arbitration shall be conducted in Beijing, and the language used
in arbitration shall be Chinese. The arbitration award shall be final and binding on all Parties.
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6.
Taxes and Fees
Each Party shall pay any and all transfer and registration tax, expenses and fees incurred thereby or levied thereon in
accordance with the PRC laws in connection with the preparation and execution of this Agreement and the Transfer Contracts,
as well as the consummation of the transactions contemplated under this Agreement and the Transfer Contracts.
7.
Notices
7.1 All notices and other communications required or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be delivered
personally or sent by registered mail with postage prepaid, by a commercial courier service or by facsimile transmission
to the address of such Party set forth below. A copy of each notice shall also be sent by email. The date on which notice
is deemed to be effectively given shall be determined as follows:
7.1.1 Notices given by personal delivery, by courier service or by registered mail, postage prepaid, shall be deemed
effectively given on the date of receipt or refusal at the address specified for notices.
7.1.2 Notices given by facsimile transmission shall be deemed effectively given on the date of successful transmission
(as evidenced by an automatically generated confirmation of transmission).
7.2
For the purpose of notices, the addresses of the Parties are as follows:
Party A: Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Address:
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of
China
Attn:
Zhi Wang
Phone:
86-10-82337885
Facsimile: 86-10-82337887
12
Party B: Zhengdong Zhu
Address:
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of
China
Phone:
86-10-82319999
Facsimile: 86-10-82337887
Party C: Baohong Yin
Address:
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of
China
Phone:
86-10-82319999
Facsimile: 86-10-82337887
Party D: Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Address:
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of
China
Attn:
Zhi Wang
Phone:
86-10-82337885
Facsimile: 86-10-82337887
7.3 Any Party may at any time change its address for notices by delivering a notice to the other Parties in accordance with
the terms hereof.
8.
Confidentiality
The Parties acknowledge that the existence and the terms of this Agreement and any oral or written information exchanged
between the Parties in connection with the preparation and performance this Agreement are regarded as confidential
information. Each Party shall maintain confidentiality of all such confidential information, and without obtaining the written
consent of the other Party, it shall not disclose any relevant confidential information to any third parties, except for the
information that (a) is or will be in the public domain (other than through the receiving Party’s unauthorized disclosure); (b) is
under the obligation to be disclosed pursuant to the applicable laws or regulations, rules of any stock exchange, or orders of the
court or other government authorities; or (c) is required to be disclosed by any Party to its shareholders, investors, legal
counsels or financial advisors regarding the transaction contemplated hereunder, provided that such shareholders, investors,
legal counsels or financial advisors shall be bound by the confidentiality obligations similar to those set forth in this Section.
Disclosure of any confidential information by the staff members or agencies hired by any Party shall be deemed disclosure of
such confidential information by such Party, which Party shall be held liable for breach of this Agreement. This Section shall
survive the termination of this Agreement for any reason.
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9.
Further Warranties
The Parties agree to promptly execute documents that are reasonably required for or are conducive to the implementation of
the provisions and purposes of this Agreement and take further actions that are reasonably required for or are conducive to the
implementation of the provisions and purposes of this Agreement.
10.
Breach of Agreement
10.1 If Party B, Party C or Party D conducts any material breach of any term of this Agreement, Party A shall have right to
terminate this Agreement and require the Party B, Party C or Party D to compensate all damages; this Section 10 shall
not prejudice any other rights of Party A herein;
10.2 If Party A conducts any breach of any term of this Agreement, Party B , Party C or Party D shall not have right to
terminate this Agreement in any event unless otherwise required by applicable laws.
11. Miscellaneous
11.1 Assignment
Without Party A’s prior written consent, Party B, Party C or Party D shall not assign its rights and/or obligations under
this Agreement to any third party. After issuing notice to Party B, Party C and Party D, Party A may assign its rights
and/or obligations under this Agreement to any third party designated by it.
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11.2 Amendment, change and supplement
Any amendment, change or supplement to this Agreement shall require the execution of a written agreement by all
Parties.
11.3 Entire agreement
Except for the amendments, supplements or changes in writing executed after the execution of this Agreement, this
Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement reached by and among the Parties hereto with respect to the subject
matter hereof, and shall supersede all prior oral and written consultations, representations and contracts reached with
respect to the subject matter of this Agreement.
11.4 Headings
The headings of this Agreement are for convenience only, and shall not be used to interpret, explain or otherwise affect
the meanings of the provisions of this Agreement.
11.5 Language
This Agreement is written in Chinese and English in four copies, each Party having one copy with equal legal validity;
in case there is any conflict between the Chinese version and the English version, the Chinese version shall prevail.
11.6 Severability
In the event that one or several of the provisions of this Agreement are found to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in
any aspect in accordance with any laws or regulations, the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions
of this Agreement shall not be affected or compromised in any respect. The Parties shall strive in good faith to replace
such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with effective provisions that accomplish to the greatest extent
permitted by law and the intentions of the Parties, and the economic effect of such effective provisions shall be as close
as possible to the economic effect of those invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.
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11.7 Successors
This Agreement shall be binding on and shall inure to the interest of the respective successors of the Parties and the
permitted assigns of such Parties.
11.8 Survival
11.8.1 Any obligations that occur or that are due as a result of this Agreement upon the expiration or early termination
of this Agreement shall survive the expiration or early termination thereof.
11.8.2 The provisions of Sections 5, 8, 10 and this Section 11.8 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
11.9 Waivers
Any Party may waive the terms and conditions of this Agreement, provided that such a waiver must be provided in
writing and shall require the signatures of the Parties. No waiver by any Party in certain circumstances with respect to a
breach by other Parties shall operate as a waiver by such a Party with respect to any similar breach in other
circumstances.
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The Remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.
17
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused their authorized representatives to execute this Exclusive Option Agreement
as of the date first above written.
Party A:
Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare
Education Technology Co., Ltd.
By:
Name:
Title:
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Zhengdong Zhu
Legal Representative
Party B: Zhengdong Zhu
By:
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Party C: Baohong Yin
By:
/s/ Baohong Yin
Party D:
Beijing Champion Healthcare
Education Technology Co., Ltd.
By:
Name:
Title:
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Zhengdong Zhu
Legal Representative
Power of Attorney
Exhibit 4.33
I, Zhengdong Zhu, a PRC citizen with PRC Identification Card No.: 320102196806142439, and a holder of 79% of the entire
registered capital in Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd. (“Domestic Company”) as of the date of this
Power of Attorney, hereby irrevocably authorize Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd. (“WFOE”)
to exercise the following rights relating to all equity interests held by me now and in the future (“My Shareholding”) during the term
of this Power of Attorney:
WFOE is hereby authorized to act on behalf of myself as my exclusive agent and attorney with respect to all matters concerning
My Shareholding, including without limitation to 1) attend shareholders’ meetings of Domestic Company; 2) exercise all the
shareholder’s rights and shareholder’s voting rights I am entitled to under the PRC laws and Domestic Company’s articles of
association, including but not limited to the sale, transfer, pledge or disposition of My Shareholding in part or in whole; and 3)
designate and appoint on behalf of myself the legal representative, the directors, supervisors, the chief executive officer and other
senior management members of Domestic Company.
Without limiting the generality of the powers granted hereunder, WFOE shall have the power and authority to, on behalf of
myself, execute all the documents I shall sign as stipulated in the Exclusive Option Agreement entered into by and among I, WFOE,
Domestic Company and other relevant party on the date of this Power of Attorney, and the Equity Pledge Agreement entered into by
and among I, WFOE, Domestic Company and other relevant party on the date of this Power of Attorney (including any modification,
amendment and restatement thereto, collectively the “Transaction Documents”), and perform the obligations under the Transaction
Documents.
All the actions associated with My Shareholding conducted by WFOE shall be deemed as my own actions, and all the
documents related to My Shareholding executed by WFOE shall be deemed to be executed by me. I hereby acknowledge and ratify
those actions taken and/or documents signed by WFOE.
1
WFOE is entitled to re-authorize or assign its rights related to the aforesaid matters to any other person or entity at its own
discretion and without giving prior notice to me or obtaining my consent. If required by the PRC laws, WFOE shall designate a PRC
citizen to exercise the aforementioned rights.
I hereby warrant, notwithstanding any changes to My Shareholding after the date of this Power of Attorney, I authorize WFOE
to, on behalf of myself, exercise all the shareholder’s rights in Domestic Company.
This Power of Attorney shall be irrevocable and continuously valid from the date of this Power of Attorney, so long as I am a
shareholder of Domestic Company.
During the term of this Power of Attorney, I hereby waive all the rights associated with My Shareholding, which have been
authorized to WFOE through this Power of Attorney, and shall not exercise such rights by myself.
This Power of Attorney is written in Chinese and English; in case there is any conflict between the Chinese version and the
English version, the Chinese version shall prevail.
The Remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.
2
Zhengdong Zhu
By:
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Accepted by:
Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
By:
Name: Zhengdong Zhu
Title: Legal Representative
Acknowledged by:
Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
By:
Name: Zhengdong Zhu
Title: Legal Representative
3
December 28, 2015
Power of Attorney
Exhibit 4.34
I, Baohong Yin, a PRC citizen with PRC Identification Card No.: 320102196710242849, and a holder of 21% of the entire
registered capital in Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd. (“Domestic Company”) as of the date of this
Power of Attorney, hereby irrevocably authorize Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd. (“WFOE”)
to exercise the following rights relating to all equity interests held by me now and in the future (“My Shareholding”) during the term
of this Power of Attorney:
WFOE is hereby authorized to act on behalf of myself as my exclusive agent and attorney with respect to all matters concerning
My Shareholding, including without limitation to 1) attend shareholders’ meetings of Domestic Company; 2) exercise all the
shareholder’s rights and shareholder’s voting rights I am entitled to under the PRC laws and Domestic Company’s articles of
association, including but not limited to the sale, transfer, pledge or disposition of My Shareholding in part or in whole; and 3)
designate and appoint on behalf of myself the legal representative, the directors, supervisors, the chief executive officer and other
senior management members of Domestic Company.
Without limiting the generality of the powers granted hereunder, WFOE shall have the power and authority to, on behalf of
myself, execute all the documents I shall sign as stipulated in the Exclusive Option Agreement entered into by and among I, WFOE,
Domestic Company and other relevant party on the date of this Power of Attorney, and the Equity Pledge Agreement entered into by
and among I, WFOE, Domestic Company and other relevant party on the date of this Power of Attorney (including any modification,
amendment and restatement thereto, collectively the “Transaction Documents”), and perform the obligations under the Transaction
Documents.
All the actions associated with My Shareholding conducted by WFOE shall be deemed as my own actions, and all the
documents related to My Shareholding executed by WFOE shall be deemed to be executed by me. I hereby acknowledge and ratify
those actions taken and/or documents signed by WFOE.
1
WFOE is entitled to re-authorize or assign its rights related to the aforesaid matters to any other person or entity at its own
discretion and without giving prior notice to me or obtaining my consent. If required by the PRC laws, WFOE shall designate a PRC
citizen to exercise the aforementioned rights.
I hereby warrant, notwithstanding any changes to My Shareholding after the date of this Power of Attorney, I authorize WFOE
to, on behalf of myself, exercise all the shareholder’s rights in Domestic Company.
This Power of Attorney shall be irrevocable and continuously valid from the date of this Power of Attorney, so long as I am a
shareholder of Domestic Company.
During the term of this Power of Attorney, I hereby waive all the rights associated with My Shareholding, which have been
authorized to WFOE through this Power of Attorney, and shall not exercise such rights by myself.
This Power of Attorney is written in Chinese and English; in case there is any conflict between the Chinese version and the
English version, the Chinese version shall prevail.
The Remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.
2
Baohong Yin
By:
/s/ Baohong Yin
Accepted by:
Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
By:
Name: Zhengdong Zhu
Title: Legal Representative
Acknowledged by:
Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
By:
Name: Zhengdong Zhu
Title: Legal Representative
3
December 28, 2015
LETTER OF UNDERTAKING
Exhibit 4.35
To: Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd. (“Zhongxi Healthcare Education”)
We, Zhu Zhengdong and Yin Baohong, respectively and irrevocably, hereby covenant with and undertake to Zhongxi Healthcare
Education as at the date hereof that:
(a)
(b)
(c)
If, as a shareholder of Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd. (“Champion Healthcare Education”),
I receive any dividends, interests, other distributions or remnant assets after liquidation from Champion Healthcare
Education, unless restricted by laws, regulations or legal procedures, I will remit all such income to Zhongxi Healthcare
Education without compensation after paying the corresponding tax and/or any other expense required by laws, regulations
or legal procedures;
If, as a shareholder of Champion Healthcare Education, unless restricted by laws, regulations or legal procedures, upon the
exercise of the call option of Zhongxi Healthcare Education pursuant to the Exclusive Option Agreement entered into by
and among Zhongxi Healthcare Education, Champion Healthcare Education and me as of December 28, 2015, I will
transfer all or part of the equity interests to Zhongxi Healthcare Education on a nominal or minimal purchase price;
If, as a shareholder of Champion Healthcare Education, I receive any purchase consideration for all or part of the equity
interests transferred to Zhongxi Healthcare Education by me upon the exercise, from time to time, of the call option of
Zhongxi Healthcare Education pursuant to the Exclusive Option Agreement, unless restricted by laws, regulations or legal
procedures, I will remit all such consideration to Zhongxi Healthcare Education without compensation after paying the
corresponding tax and/or any other expense required by laws, regulations or legal procedures.
(d) As a shareholder of Champion Healthcare Education, I shall act in the best interest of Zhongxi Healthcare Education unless
restricted by laws, regulations or legal procedures.
Dated: December 28, 2015
Zhu Zhengdong
ID Card No.: 320102196806142439
By: /s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Yin Baohong
ID Card No.: 320102196710242849
By: /s/ Baohong Yin
To: Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Date: December 28. 2015
I refer to the Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement (the “Agreement”) entered into by and between us as of December 28,
2015. According to Article 2.5 of the Agreement, I, Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., shall
provide you financial support, if any operating loss or critical operation adversity occurs in you.
I hereby further undertake irrevocably that:
I shall provide financial support to you in any case of any operating loss or critical operation adversity regardless of any request made
or not by you.
Exhibit 4.36
Yours Faithfully,
Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
By:
Name: Zhengdong Zhu
Title:
Legal representative
Tri-party Agreement re VIE Structure
Exhibit 4.37
This Tri-party Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into as of December 28, 2015 in Beijing by and among the following parties:
(1)
Party A: Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly foreign-owned enterprise legally
incorporated in Beijing and duly exists under the laws of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”, for purpose of this
agreement, does not include Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative Region and Taiwan),
and having its domicile at Room 1810, 18/F, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing; its legal representative is Zhengdong
Zhu.
(2)
Party B:
a)
b)
Zhengdong Zhu, a PRC citizen, his ID card No. is 320102196806142439;
Baohong Yin, a PRC citizen, her ID card No. is 320102196710242849.
(3)
Party C: Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd., a limited liability company legally incorporated in
Beijing and duly exists under the laws of the PRC, and having its domicile at Room 303A, 3/F, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian
District, Beijing; its legal representative is Zhengdong Zhu.
The above parties shall collectively be referred to as the “Parties” and individually as a “Party”.
WHEREAS
A.
B.
C.
D.
Pursuant to the Powers of Attorney (see Attachment I of the Agreement) which was issued by Party B to Party A on
December 28, 2015, Party B authorized Party A or any person it designated to exercise certain rights which Party B enjoys as
the shareholder of Party C.
Pursuant to the Letter of Undertaking (see Attachment II of the Agreement) which was issued by Party B to Party A on
December 28, 2015, Party B undertook to remit all income and interests obtained as the shareholder of Party C to Party A
without compensation.
Party A and Party B executed the Equity Pledge Agreement on December 28, 2015; Party A and Party C executed the
Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement on December 28, 2015; Party A, Party B, and Party C executed the Exclusive
Option Agreement on December 28, 2015 (collectively, the “relevant VIE agreements”).
The Powers of Attorney, the Letter of Undertaking and relevant VIE agreements jointly constitute the VIE structure, and Party
B is one of the ultimate beneficiaries of the VIE structure.
E.
The total amount of register capital of Party C is RMB32,000,000 and party B legally holds 100% of the equity of Party C.
1
In view of the above, the Parties agree to enter into the Agreement in accordance with terms and conditions as follows:
ARTICLE 1: TRANSFER OF EQUITY INTERESTS
1.1 Once Party B violates any authorization, undertaking or agreement of the Powers of Attorney or the Letter of Undertaking,
Party A shall be entitled to require Party B to transfer his entire equity interests in Party C (the “Underlying Equity”) to Party
A or its designated third party (the “Equity Transferee”, the specific equity transferee shall be chosen at the discretion of Party
A under the then effective PRC laws and policies).
1.2 Once Party A holds that Party B violates any authorization, undertaking or agreement of the Powers of Attorney or the Letter
of Undertaking, Party A shall be entitled to require Party B to unconditionally sign the equity transfer agreement provided by
Party A and transfer the Underlying Equity to the Equity Transferee within fourteen (14) workdays from the date of receiving
the written notification of Party A. The specific terms and content of such equity transfer agreement shall be drafted by Party A
but its content shall not violate the then effective mandatory provisions of the PRC laws.
1.3
Party B and Party C shall prepare all applicable materials relating to the transfer of the Underlying Equity, including but not
limited to obtaining any necessary approvals and consent from any relevant parties or competent authorities, and complete the
transfer of the Underlying Equity (Party C completes its change of business registration in respect of matters relating to the
transfer of the Underlying Equity and the Underlying Equity is registered in the name of the Equity Transferee) strictly in
accordance with the time informed by Party A. In the process of the transfer of the Underlying Equity, where the Equity
Transferee is required to sign or give necessary assistance to provide relevant materials, Party A shall procure the Equity
Transferee to provide necessary assistance accordingly.
ARTICLE 2: GUARANTEE
2.1. Once Party A holds that Party B is expected to violate any authorization, undertaking or agreement of the Powers of Attorney
or the Letter of Undertaking, Party A shall be entitled to inform Party B by written notice to require Party B to provide
satisfactory and full guarantee within fourteen (14) workdays from the date of receiving such notification and to sign relevant
guarantee contract within the time required by Party A. The terms and content of such guarantee contract shall be drafted by
Party A but its content shall not violate the then effective mandatory provisions of the PRC laws.
2.2.
Party B shall complete collateral transfer or guarantee registration (depending on the form of the guarantee) and all other
necessary formalities for setting up the security rights strictly in accordance with the time informed by Party A.
2
2.3. The guarantee provided by Party B to Party A in accordance with the above terms shall not affect the right of Party A to
require Party B to transfer the Underlying Equity in accordance with relevant provisions of Article 1 of the Agreement or any
other relevant rights of Party A.
ARTICLE 3: LEGAL EFFECT
3.1
This Agreement shall become effective following its signing by each Party or its legal representative.
ARTICLE 4: ANNOUNCEMENTS AND WARRANTIES
4.1
Party A hereby represents and warrants to Party B and Party C as follows:
(1)
Party A was duly organized and validly exists under the laws of the PRC. It has the required rights and authorization to
conclude, execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and any other documents necessary to perform this Agreement.
The Agreement and any other such documents, when they become effective, will constitute legal, valid, binding and
enforceable agreements to Party A.
4.2
Party B hereby represents and warrants to Party A and Party C as follows:
(1)
(2)
Party B has the required rights and ability to conclude, execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and any other
documents necessary to perform this Agreement. The Agreement and any other such documents, when they become
effective, will constitute legal, valid, binding and enforceable agreements to Party B.
Party B enters into and performs this Agreement from his true meaning and he has no misunderstanding on relevant
content of this Agreement.
4.3
Party C hereby represents and warrants to Party A and Party B as follows:
(1)
Party C was duly organized and validly exists under the laws of the PRC. It has the required rights and authorization to
conclude, execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and any other documents necessary to perform this Agreement.
The Agreement and any other such documents, when they become effective, will constitute legal, valid, binding and
enforceable agreements to Party C.
(2)
On the execution date of this Agreement, the amount of registered capital of Party C is RMB32 million, and such
registered capital has been paid up.
3
ARTICLE 5: UNDERTAKINGS
Party B and Party C hereby undertake to Party A as follows:
5.1
From the execution of this Agreement to the completion of transfer of the Underlying Equity in accordance with Article 1 of
this Agreement, if there is occurrence of any circumstances which may have a material adverse effect on the Underlying
Equity under this Agreement or the assets or business of Party C, Party B and Party C shall immediately notify Party A in
writing. Such circumstances, which may have a material adverse effect on the contemplated transfer of the Underlying Equity
under this Agreement, include (but not limited to) any dilution, controversy or disputes relating to the Underlying Equity, any
litigation, arbitration, trial, investigation or other procedures brought against Party C, approvals or instructions from any
government departments or losses or damages to any material assets of Party C.
ARTICLE 6: TAXES AND COSTS
6.1
Each Party shall bear the taxes and costs arising from its implementation of this Agreement in accordance with the law. The
Parties may also determine the payer(s) of such taxes and costs in relevant equity transfer agreement and guarantee contract
related to this Agreement.
ARTICLE 7: LIABILITIES FOR BREACH
7.1
This Agreement is breached if any of the following circumstances appear:
(1)
(2)
either Party violates any obligations or commitments under this Agreement; or
any representations or warranties in this Agreement made by either Party is inconsistent with the facts, misleading or
incompletely performed.
7.2
If any of the aforementioned circumstances of violation of this Agreement occurred, the non-breaching Party shall be entitled
to require the breaching Party to bear all claims, losses, liabilities, compensations, costs and expenses of the non-breaching
Party caused directly or indirectly from such breach. In the case where Party B breaches the Agreement, he shall compensate
all direct or indirect economic losses of Party A or parties having interests in Party A due to the damage to the integrity of the
VIE structure caused by Party B’s violation of the authorization, undertaking or agreement of the Powers of Attorney or the
Letter of Undertaking.
ARTICLE 8: CONFIDENTIALITY
8.1
In addition to the regulations or requirements of relevant PRC laws and regulations, or relevant laws, regulations and stock
exchange rules of applicable jurisdictions, neither Party shall disclose the content of the Agreement to any third party without
the consent of the other Parties.
ARTICLE 9: RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES AND GOVERNING LAW
9.1.
If any dispute arises in connection with the execution or implementation of this Agreement, each Party shall attempt to resolve
such dispute through friendly consultations. If such dispute is not resolved through consultations, then either Parity may submit
the dispute to the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission for arbitration in accordance with its then
effective arbitration rules at the time of application for arbitration. The arbitration award shall be final and binding on the
Parties, and the place of arbitration is Beijing, the PRC.
4
9.2.
If any of the terms of this agreement is held invalid by the arbitral tribunal according to relevant laws, the effectiveness and
execution of the other provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected.
9.3. The execution, validity, interpretation, performance and resolution of disputes of this Agreement shall be governed by the PRC
laws.
ARTICLE 10: NOTICE
10.1. Each notice, request or other communications issued or made in accordance with this Agreement shall be issued or made in
written form and shall be delivered to the other Party in accordance with the following address or fax number (or to other
address or fax number which the recipient has informed the other Party in writing five days in advance):
To Party A: 18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s
Republic of China
Fax: 86-10-82337887
Addressee: Zhi Wang
To Party B: 18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s
Republic of China
Fax: 86-10-82337887
Addressee: Zhengdong Zhu
To Party C: 18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower,1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, People’s
Republic of China
Fax: 86-10-82337887
Addressee: Zhi Wang
10.2. Each notice or other communications delivered in accordance with this provision shall be deemed to be effective under the
following conditions:
(1)
(2)
(3)
If delivered by hand, such notice or communications shall be effective when delivered.
If delivered by mail, such notice or communications shall be effective upon the moment when the mail arrived at the
delivery address or five working days after prepaying the postage to the postal office (whichever is earlier).
If delivered by fax and the sender received a delivery receipt, where the fax is sent during workdays of the recipient
before local time 17:00, such notice and communications shall be deemed to be effective upon delivery; where the fax is
sent at other time, such notice and communications shall be deemed to be effective at the recipient’s local time 9:00 of
next workday.
5
10.3.
If the address under the provision of 10.1 of this Agreement contains specific departments or personnel, each notice or other
communications shall be delivered to those departments or personnel.
ARTICLE 11: MISCELLANEOUS
11.1 This Agreement is made in six originals. Each of the original is of the same legal effect and each Party holds two originals.
[Signature Page Follows]
6
[Signature Page of the Tri-party Agreements re VIE Structure]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.
Party A:
Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare
Education Technology Co., Ltd. (seal)
Signature: /s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Legal representative: Zhengdong Zhu
Party B:
Zhengdong Zhu
Signature: /s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Baohong Yin
Siganture: /s/ Baohong Yin
Party C:
Beijing Champion Healthcare
Education Technology Co., Ltd. (seal)
Signature: /s/ Zhengdong Zhu
Legal representative: Zhengdong Zhu
7
ATTACHMENT I: POWER OF ATTORNEY
8
ATTACHMENT II: LETTER OF UNDERTAKING
9
Spouse Consent
Exhibit 4.38
The undersigned, Zhengdong Zhu (ID card No. 320102196806142439), is the lawful spouse of Baohong Yin (ID card
No. 320102196710242849). I hereby voluntarily, unconditionally and irrevocably agree to the execution of the following documents
(the “Transaction Documents”) by Baohong Yin, and the disposal of the equity interests of Beijing Champion Healthcare Education
Technology Co., Ltd. (“Domestic Company”) directly or indirectly held by Baohong Yin according to the following Transaction
Documents:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
The Equity Pledge Agreement entered into by and among Baohong Yin, Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare
Education Technology Co., Ltd. (“WFOE”) , Domestic Company and other relevant party on the date of this consent
letter;
The Exclusive Option Agreement entered into by and among Baohong Yin, WFOE, Domestic Company and other
relevant party on the date of this consent letter;
The Power of Attorney executed by Baohong Yin on the date of this consent letter; and
any other supplementary agreement(s) may be executed by Baohong Yin from time to time.
I hereby undertake not to make any assertions in connection with the equity interests of Domestic Company which are directly
or indirectly held by Baohong Yin and not to take any action(s) which may be with the intention to interfere with the arrangements in
connection with the Transaction Documents, including but not limited to bringing claim(s) to court or other competent authorities and
claiming the equity interests therein to constitute the joint property owned by Baohong Yin and me. I hereby unconditionally and
irrevocably agree to waive all of the rights and interests which may be granted by the applicable laws in connection with the equity
interests therein, and confirm that such rights or interests do not constitute the joint property owned by Baohong Yin and me in any
case. I hereby further confirm that Baohong Yin can perform the Transaction Documents and further amend or terminate the
Transaction Documents absent authorization or consent (whether in oral, in writing or in any other manner) from me.
1
I hereby undertake to execute all necessary documents and take all necessary actions to ensure strict compliance and appropriate
performance of the Transaction Documents (as amended from time to time).
I hereby agree and undertake that if I obtain any equity interests of Domestic Company which are held by Baohong Yin for any
reasons, I shall be bound by the Transaction Documents (as amended from time to time) and the Exclusive Business Cooperation
Agreement entered into between WFOE and Domestic Company as of the date of this consent letter (the “Exclusive Business
Cooperation Agreement”) (as amended from time to time) and comply with the obligations thereunder as a shareholder of Domestic
Company. For this purpose, upon WFOE’s request, I shall sign a series of written documents in substantially the forms of the
Transaction Documents (as amended from time to time) and Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement (as amended from time to
time).
This Spouse Consent is written in Chinese and English. The Chinese version and English version shall have equal legal validity.
If there is any conflict between the Chinese version and the English version, the Chinese version shall prevail.
The Remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.
2
Zhengdong Zhu
By: /s/ Zhengdong Zhu
December 28, 2015
3
Spouse Consent
Exhibit 4.39
The undersigned, Baohong Yin (ID card No. 320102196710242849), is the lawful spouse of Zhengdong Zhu (ID card No.
320102196806142439). I hereby voluntarily, unconditionally and irrevocably agree to the execution of the following documents (the
“Transaction Documents”) by Zhengdong Zhu, and the disposal of the equity interests of Beijing Champion Healthcare Education
Technology Co., Ltd. (“Domestic Company”) directly or indirectly held by Zhengdong Zhu according to the following Transaction
Documents:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
The Equity Pledge Agreement entered into by and among Zhengdong Zhu, Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare
Education Technology Co., Ltd. (“WFOE”) , Domestic Company and other relevant party on the date of this consent
letter;
The Exclusive Option Agreement entered into by and among Zhengdong Zhu, WFOE, Domestic Company and other
relevant party on the date of this consent letter;
The Power of Attorney executed by Zhengdong Zhu on the date of this consent letter; and
any other supplementary agreement(s) may be executed by Zhengdong Zhu from time to time.
I hereby undertake not to make any assertions in connection with the equity interests of Domestic Company which are directly
or indirectly held by Zhengdong Zhu and not to take any action(s) which may be with the intention to interfere with the arrangements
in connection with the Transaction Documents, including but not limited to bringing claim(s) to court or other competent authorities
and claiming the equity interests therein to constitute the joint property owned by Zhengdong Zhu and me. I hereby unconditionally
and irrevocably agree to waive all of the rights and interests which may be granted by the applicable laws in connection with the
equity interests therein, and confirm that such rights or interests do not constitute the joint property owned by Zhengdong Zhu and me
in any case. I hereby further confirm that Zhengdong Zhu can perform the Transaction Documents and further amend or terminate the
Transaction Documents absent authorization or consent (whether in oral, in writing or in any other manner) from me.
1
I hereby undertake to execute all necessary documents and take all necessary actions to ensure strict compliance and appropriate
performance of the Transaction Documents (as amended from time to time).
I hereby agree and undertake that if I obtain any equity interests of Domestic Company which are held by Zhengdong Zhu for
any reasons, I shall be bound by the Transaction Documents (as amended from time to time) and the Exclusive Business Cooperation
Agreement entered into between WFOE and Domestic Company as of the date of this consent letter (the “Exclusive Business
Cooperation Agreement”) (as amended from time to time) and comply with the obligations thereunder as a shareholder of Domestic
Company. For this purpose, upon WFOE’s request, I shall sign a series of written documents in substantially the forms of the
Transaction Documents (as amended from time to time) and Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement (as amended from time to
time).
This Spouse Consent is written in Chinese and English. The Chinese version and English version shall have equal legal validity.
If there is any conflict between the Chinese version and the English version, the Chinese version shall prevail.
The Remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.
2
Baohong Yin
By: /s/ Baohong Yin
December 28, 2015
3
Subsidiaries of Registrant
Name:
Wholly Owned Subsidiaries:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
China Healthcare Investment Limited
DL Education Service, LLC
China Distance Education Ltd.
China Healthcare Education Limited
Practice Enterprises Network China International Links Ltd.
Beijing Champion Distance Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Beijing Champion Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Beijing Champion Accounting Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Beijing Zhongxi Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Majority Owned Subsidiary:
1.
2.
Beijing Zhengbao Yucai Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Nanjing Champion Vocational Training School
Consolidated Affiliated Entities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Beijing Champion Hi-Tech Co., Ltd.
Beijing Caikaowang Company Limited
Beijing Champion Wangge Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Beijing Champion Culture Development Co., Ltd.
Beijing Haidian District Champion Training School
Beijing Champion Tax Management and Advisory Co., Ltd.
Beijing Champion Healthcare Education Technology Co., Ltd.
Exhibit 8.1
Place of Incorporation
British Virgin Islands
U.S.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
PRC
PRC
PRC
PRC
PRC
PRC
PRC
PRC
PRC
PRC
PRC
PRC
PRC
Certification by the Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Exhibit 12.1
I, Zhengdong Zhu, certify that:
1.
2.
3.
4.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of China Distance Education Holdings Limited;
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading
with respect to the period covered by this report;
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all
material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the company as of, and for, the periods
presented in this report;
The company’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures
(as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the company and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under
our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is
made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be
designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the company’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our
conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this
report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the
period covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the company’s
internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The company’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
financial reporting, to the company’s auditors and the audit committee of the company’s board of directors (or persons
performing the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the
company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date: January 27, 2016
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
By:
Name: Zhengdong Zhu
Title:
Chief Executive Officer
Certification by the Chief Financial Officers
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Exhibit 12.2
We, Mark Marostica and Philip Chan, certify that:
1.
2.
3.
4.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of China Distance Education Holdings Limited;
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading
with respect to the period covered by this report;
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all
material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the company as of, and for, the periods
presented in this report;
The company’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures
(as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the company and have:
(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under
our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is
made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be
designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the company’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our
conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this
report based on such evaluation; and
(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the
period covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the company’s
internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The company’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
financial reporting, to the company’s auditors and the audit committee of the company’s board of directors (or persons
performing the equivalent functions):
(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
information; and
(b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the
company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date: January 27, 2016
/s/ Mark Marostica
By:
Name: Mark Marostica
Title:
Co-Chief Financial Officer
/s/ Philip Chan
By:
Name: Philip Chan
Title:
Co-Chief Financial Officer
Certification by the Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Exhibit 13.1
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the undersigned, Zhengdong
Zhu, Chief Executive Officer of China Distance Education Holdings Limited (the “Company”), hereby certifies, to the best of his
knowledge, that the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended September 30, 2015 (the “Report”) fully complies
with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d), as applicable, of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and that the information
contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of,
and for the periods presented in the Report.
Date: January 27, 2016
/s/ Zhengdong Zhu
By:
Name: Zhengdong Zhu
Title:
Chief Executive Officer
Certification by the Co-Chief Financial Officers
Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Exhibit 13.2
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the undersigned, Mark
Marostica and Philip Chan, Co-Chief Financial Officers of China Distance Education Holdings Limited (the “Company”), hereby
certifies, to the best of their knowledge, that the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended September 30, 2015 (the
“Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d), as applicable, of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and
that the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of
the Company as of, and for the periods presented in the Report.
Date: January 27, 2016
/s/ Mark Marostica
By:
Name: Mark Marostica
Title:
Co-Chief Financial Officer
/s/ Philip Chan
By:
Name: Philip Chan
Title:
Co-Chief Financial Officer
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statement No. 333-157129 on Form S-8 of our reports dated January 27,
2016 relating to the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule of China Distance Education Holdings
Limited, its subsidiaries, variable interest entity and the subsidiaries of its variable interest entity (collectively, the “Group”) and the
effectiveness of the Group’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in this Annual Report on Form 20-F of China
Distance Education Holdings Limited for the year ended September 30, 2015.
Exhibit 15.1
/s/ Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP
Beijing, the People’s Republic of China
January 27, 2016
Exhibit 15.2
January 27, 2016
China Distance Education Holdings Limited (the “Company”)
18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower
1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District
Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of China
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as legal advisors as to the laws of the People’s Republic of China to the Company in connection with the filing by the
Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission of an annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 2015 and any amendments thereto (the “Annual Report”).
We hereby consent to the use and reference to our name and our opinions and views in the Annual Report. We further consent to the
filing of this letter as an exhibit to the Annual Report.
In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the regulations promulgated thereunder.
Sincerely yours,
/s/ Jingtian & Gongcheng
Jingtian & Gongcheng