Date of event requiring this shell company report

 

 

Telephone:

(Name, Telephone, and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person)

 

 

 

43,920,018 Class A ordinary shares were outstanding as of December 31, 2021

32,937,193 Class B ordinary shares were outstanding as of December 31, 2021

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    ☐  Yes    ☒  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    ☒  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

S-T

non-accelerated

Rule 12b-2

 

If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act  ☒

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.  ☐

Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registration has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:

 

If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which consolidated financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow    ☐  Item 17    ☐  Item 18

Rule 12b-2

(APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court    ☐  Yes    ☐  No

 

 

 

CONVENTIONS THAT APPLY TO THIS ANNUAL REPORT ON

Except where the context otherwise requires, references in this annual report to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On December 10, 2021, we effected a change of the ratio of our ADSs to Class A ordinary shares from the then ADS ratio of four (4) ADSs to one (1) Class A ordinary share to a new ADS ratio of two (2) ADS representing five (5) Class A ordinary shares. Unless otherwise indicated, ADSs and per ADS amount in this annual report have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the change in ratio for all periods presented.

Unless specifically indicated otherwise or unless the context otherwise requires, all references to our ordinary shares exclude ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options with respect to our ordinary shares under our share incentive plan.

This annual report contains translations between Renminbi and U.S. dollars solely for the convenience of the reader. The translations from Renminbi to U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to Renminbi in this annual report were made at a rate of RMB6.3726 to US$1.00, the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board on December 30, 2021. 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.

 

1

Unless the context indicates otherwise, all share and per share data in this annual report have given effect to a share split in September 2017 in which each one of the previously issued ordinary shares was split into 10,000 ordinary shares.

20-F

Our ADSs are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “QTT.”

 

2

Form 20-F

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect the Group’s financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs.

You should read these statements in conjunction with the risks disclosed in “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” of this annual report and other risks outlined in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. Moreover, the Group operates in an emerging and evolving environment. New risks may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of such risks on the Group’s business or the extent to which any risk, or combination of risks, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. 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. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this annual report and the documents that we have referred to in this annual report, completely and with the understanding that the Group’s actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.

 

3

 

Not Applicable.

 

Not Applicable.

 

Qutoutiao Inc. is not a Chinese operating company but a Cayman Islands holding company with operations primarily conducted (i) through contractual arrangements with certain variable interest entities, or the Group VIEs, in China and (ii) by our subsidiaries in China. Qutoutiao Inc. does not own equity interests in the Group VIEs, and does not conduct business operations directly. PRC laws and regulations impose certain restrictions or prohibitions on foreign ownership of companies that engage in certain value-added telecommunication services, internet audio-video program services and certain other businesses. Therefore, we operate such businesses in China through the Group VIEs and their subsidiaries, and rely on contractual arrangements among our PRC subsidiaries, the Group VIEs and their respective shareholders to control the business operations of the Group VIEs. Investors in our ADSs do not hold equity interests in the Group’s operating entities in China, but instead hold equity interests in Qutoutiao Inc., a Cayman Islands holding company. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—D. Organizational Structure” for a diagram illustrating our corporate structure. As used in this annual report, “Qutoutiao,” “we,” “us,” “our company” or “our” refers to Qutoutiao Inc., its subsidiaries, and, in the context of describing its operations and consolidated financial information, the Group VIEs; “the Group” refers to Qutoutiao Inc., the Group VIEs and their respective subsidiaries; and “the Group VIEs” refer to the variable interest entities that conduct our business operations in China.

The contractual arrangements among our PRC subsidiaries, the Group VIEs and their respective shareholders collectively enable us to:

 

 

 

As a result of the contractual arrangements, Qutoutiao Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries are considered the primary beneficiaries of the Group VIEs for accounting purposes, and we have consolidated the financial results of the Group VIEs in the Group’s consolidated financial statements. For more details of the contractual arrangements, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—D. Organizational Structure—Contractual Arrangements among Our Key WFOEs, the Key VIEs and Their Respective Shareholders.” Terms contained in each set of contractual arrangements with the Group VIEs are substantially similar.

 

4

We are subject to risks associated with our contractual arrangements with the Group VIEs and their shareholders. Our Cayman Islands holding company and its investors may never hold equity interests in the Group VIEs. The contractual arrangements may be less effective than equity ownership in providing us with control over the Group VIEs and we may incur substantial costs to enforce the terms of the arrangements. If the Group VIEs or their shareholders fail to perform their respective obligations under these contractual arrangements, our ability, as a Cayman Islands holding company, to enforce these contractual arrangements may be limited. The contractual arrangements have not been tested in a court of law in China. There are very few precedents and little formal guidance as to how contractual arrangements in the context of a variable interest entity should be interpreted or enforced under PRC law. In the event we are unable to enforce these contractual arrangements, or if we suffer significant delay or other obstacles in the process of enforcing these contractual arrangements, we may not be able to exert effective control over the Group VIEs, and our ability to conduct the Group’s business and the Group’s results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected. See “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure—We rely on contractual arrangements with the Group VIEs and their respective shareholders to operate the Group’s business, which may be less effective than equity ownership in providing operational control and otherwise materially and adversely affect the Group’s business” and “—The shareholders of the Group VIEs may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and adversely affect the Group’s business, results of operations and financial condition.”

There are also substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules with regard to our corporate structure and the contractual arrangements with the Group VIEs and their shareholders. If Chinese regulatory authorities disallow such structure and arrangements, it would have a material effect on our operations and cause the value of our ADSs to significantly decline or become worthless. See “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure—If the PRC government deems that the contractual arrangements in relation to the Group VIEs do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions on foreign investment in the relevant industries, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations. In addition, our ADSs may significantly decline in value or become worthless if we are unable to assert our contractual control over the assets of the Group VIEs” and “—Substantial uncertainties exist with respect to whether the controlling of PRC onshore variable interest entities by foreign investors via contractual arrangements will be recognized as ‘foreign investment’ and how it may impact the viability of the Group’s current corporate structure and operations.”

The Group also faces various legal and operational risks and uncertainties associated with being based in or having its operations primarily in China and the country’s complex and evolving laws and regulations. For example, the Group faces risks associated with regulatory approvals on offerings conducted overseas by and foreign investment in China-based issuers, the use of the Group VIEs, anti-monopoly regulatory actions, and oversight on cybersecurity and data privacy, which may impact the Group’s ability to conduct certain businesses, accept foreign investments, or list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange outside of China. These risks could result in a material adverse change in the Group’s operations and the value of our ADSs, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. See “—D. Risks Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in China.”

The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCAA, was enacted in December 2020 and may affect our ability to maintain our listing on NASDAQ. Pursuant to the HFCAA, if the SEC determines that we are an issuer, or a covered issuer, that has filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been subject to inspection for the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or the PCAOB, for three consecutive years beginning in 2021, the SEC shall prohibit our ADSs from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the United States. As stated in its report dated December 16, 2021, the PCAOB has determined that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, including our auditor as an independent registered public accounting firm. As a result, our ADSs may be prohibited from trading or delisted under the HFCAA. The delisting of our ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. See “—D. Risks Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in China—Our ADSs will be prohibited from trading in the United States under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCAA, in 2024 if the PCAOB is unable to inspect or fully investigate auditors located in China, or 2023 if proposed changes to the law are enacted. The delisting of our ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.”

 

5

As of the date of this annual report, the Group has obtained all material permissions and approvals that are, or may be, required for the Group’s main operations in China, except as disclosed in “—D. Risk Factors—Risk Relating to Our Business and Industry—The Group’s inability to fully comply with Audio-visual Program Provisions may expose it to administrative sanctions, which would materially and adversely affect the Group’s business, results of operations and financial condition” and “—The Group may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties and changes in PRC regulation of Internet businesses and companies, including limitations on its ability to own key assets such as its mobile applications.” No material permission or approval for the Group has been denied by relevant authorities in China. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Regulations—Permissions and Licenses Requirements” for more details.

In addition, we, our PRC subsidiaries and the Group VIEs may be required to obtain permissions from the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, and may be required to go through cybersecurity review by the Cyberspace Administration of China, or the CAC, in connection with any future offering and listing in an overseas market. As of the date of this annual report, we have not been subject to any cybersecurity review made by the CAC. See “—D. Risks Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in China—The approval of and the filing with the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, or other PRC government authorities may be required in connection with our future offshore offerings under PRC law, which may hinder our ability to continue to offer securities to investors offshore; in addition, the regulation of the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies establish complex procedures for acquisitions conducted by foreign investors that could make it more difficult for us to grow through acquisitions” and “—Risks Relating to Our Industry and Business—We may be subject to cybersecurity review by regulatory authorities of the PRC in the future.”

Given the uncertainties of interpretation and implementation of relevant laws and regulations and the enforcement practice by relevant government authorities, we may be required to obtain additional licenses, permits, filings or approvals for the functions and services of our platform in the future, and may not be able to maintain or renew our current licenses, permits, filings or approvals. In addition, rules and regulations in China can change quickly with little advance notice. Uncertainties due to evolving laws and regulations could impede the ability of a China-based issuer, such as us, to obtain or maintain permits or licenses required to conduct business in China. In the absence of required permits or licenses, governmental authorities could impose material sanctions or penalties on us. See “—D. Risks Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in China—Changes in the political and economic policies of the PRC government may materially and adversely affect the Group’s business, results of operations and financial condition and may result in the Group’s inability to sustain our growth and expansion strategies. The PRC government may intervene or influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material change in the Group’s operations and/or the value of our ADSs. Any actions by the Chinese government to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers could significantly limit or completely hinder the Group’s ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless” and “—There are uncertainties regarding the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws, rules and regulations. In addition, rules and regulations in China can change quickly with little advance notice.”

Qutoutiao Inc. is a holding company with no material operations of its own. We conduct our operations primarily (i) through contractual arrangements with the Group VIEs in China and (ii) by our subsidiaries in China. As a result, Qutoutiao Inc.’s ability to pay dividends depends upon dividends paid by our PRC subsidiaries and remittances from the Group VIEs. If our PRC subsidiaries or the Group VIEs incur debt on their own in the future, the instruments governing their debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other distributions or remittances to us. In addition, current PRC regulations permit our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to their respective shareholders only out of their retained earnings, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Furthermore, each of our PRC subsidiaries and the Group VIEs is required to set aside at least 10% of its net income each year to fund certain statutory reserves until the cumulative amount of such reserves reaches 50% of its registered capital. These reserves, together with the registered capital, are not distributable as cash dividends. For more details, see “—D. Risks Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in China—We rely to a significant extent on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our principal operating subsidiaries and the Group VIEs to fund offshore cash and financing requirements. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC operating subsidiaries or the Group VIEs to make payments to us could materially and adversely affect our ability to conduct the Group’s business.”

 

6

Set forth in the table below is a summary of cash transfers that have occurred between our subsidiaries and the Group VIEs for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively.

 

For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2020 and 2021, no subsidiaries or Group VIEs paid dividends or made other distributions to the Cayman Islands holding company, and no dividends or distributions were paid or made to U.S. investors. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2020 and 2021, no assets were transferred between our subsidiaries and the Group VIEs other than the cash transfers set forth in the table above. We do not have any present plan to pay any dividends on our shares in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain most, if not all, of our available funds and any future earnings to operate and expand our business. See “Item 8. Financial Information—A. Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information—Dividend Policy.” However, if our PRC subsidiaries or Group VIEs declare and distribute profits to us, such payments will be subject to withholding tax, which will increase our tax liability and reduce the amount of cash available to us. For PRC and United States federal income tax considerations in connection with an investment in our ADSs, see “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation.” We plan to continue to determine the amount of service fee and payment method with the Group VIEs and their shareholders through bona fide negotiation, and settle fees under the contractual arrangements accordingly in the future.

In addition, our PRC subsidiaries, the Group VIEs and their subsidiaries generate their revenue primarily in Renminbi, which is not freely convertible into other currencies. As a result, any restriction on currency exchange may limit the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to us or our ability to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our investors. For more details, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in China—We are subject to restrictions on currency exchange.”

We do not own any equity interest in the Group VIEs that are consolidated in the Group’s financial statements. The Group consolidates the results of the Group VIEs and their subsidiaries under U.S. GAAP through our contractual arrangements with the Group VIEs and their respective shareholders. For more details of such contractual arrangements, see “Item 4. — Information on the Company — D. Organizational Structure — Contractual Arrangements among Our Key WFOEs, the Key VIEs and Their Respective Shareholders.”

 

7

The following table presents the Group’s condensed consolidated schedules of results of operations for our holding company, Qutoutiao Inc., our wholly foreign-owned entities that are the primary beneficiaries of the Group VIEs under U.S. GAAP, or the Primary Beneficiaries of the Group VIEs, our other subsidiaries that are not the Primary Beneficiaries of the Group VIEs, or Other Subsidiaries, and the Group VIEs and their subsidiaries that the Group consolidates for the periods presented:

 

 

8

 

9