As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on September 27, 2024
Registration No. 333-[●]
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM F-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Davis Commodities Limited
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Cayman Islands | Not Applicable | |
|
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
10 Bukit Batok Crescent, #10-01, The Spire
Singapore 658079
+65 6896 5333
(Address and telephone number of Registrant’s principal executive offices)
Cogency Global Inc.
122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10168
800-221-0102
(Name, address, and telephone number of agent for service)
With a Copy to:
Ying Li, Esq.
Lisa Forcht, Esq.
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
950 Third Avenue, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10022
212-530-2206
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of the registration statement.
If only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.
Emerging growth company ☒
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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
†The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act, or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting any offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted.
| PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS | SUBJECT TO COMPLETION | DATED SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 |
Davis Commodities Limited
19,385,031 Ordinary Shares Offered by Selling Shareholders
This prospectus covers the resale by certain selling shareholders described herein (the “Selling Shareholders”) of up to an aggregate of 19,385,031 ordinary shares, par value $0.000000430108 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”). The Selling Shareholders may, from time to time, sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any or all of their Ordinary Shares on any stock exchange, market, or trading facility on which the Ordinary Shares are traded or in private transactions. These dispositions may be at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market price, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices.
We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale or other disposition of the Ordinary Shares by the Selling Shareholders, but we will bear all costs, fees, and expenses in connection with the registration of the Ordinary Shares offered by the Selling Shareholders. The Selling Shareholders will bear all commissions and discounts, if any, attributable to the sale of the Ordinary Shares offered for resale through this prospectus. For information regarding the Selling Shareholders and the times and manner in which they may offer or sell Ordinary Shares, see “Selling Shareholders” and “Plan of Distribution.”
Our Ordinary Shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or “Nasdaq,” under the symbol “DTCK.” On September 23, 2024, the last reported sale price of our Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq was $1.06 per share.
We are a “foreign private issuer” and we are currently an “emerging growth company” under applicable U.S. federal securities laws and are eligible for reduced public company reporting requirements. Subject to any other conditions as prescribed in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), we will no longer be an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, from the last day of the fiscal year ending December 31, 2028.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, please read the information under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 4 of this prospectus and risk factors set forth in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F (the “2023 Annual Report”), in other reports incorporated herein by reference, and in an applicable prospectus supplement under the heading “Risk Factors.”
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2024.
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This prospectus describes the general manner in which the Selling Shareholders identified in this prospectus may offer from time to time up to 19,385,031 Ordinary Shares.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and the related exhibits, any prospectus supplement or amendment thereto, and the documents incorporated by reference, or to which we have referred you, before making your investment decision. We have not, and the Selling Shareholders have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell, nor are the Selling Shareholders seeking an offer to buy, the Ordinary Shares offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information contained in this prospectus or in any applicable prospectus supplement is accurate only as of the date on the front cover thereof or the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement or any sales of the Ordinary Shares offered hereby or thereby.
If necessary, the specific manner in which the Ordinary Shares may be offered and sold will be described in a supplement to this prospectus, which supplement may also add, update or change any of the information contained in this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in such prospectus supplement, provided that if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor any distribution of Ordinary Shares pursuant to this prospectus shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that there has been no change in the information set forth or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or in our affairs since the date of this prospectus. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since such date.
Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, references in this prospectus or in a prospectus supplement to:
| · | “Davis Commodities” are to Davis Commodities Limited, an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands; | |
| · | “Exchange Act” are to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; | |
| · | “Ordinary Shares” are to the ordinary shares of Davis Commodities, par value $0.000000430108 per share; | |
| · | “Securities Act” are to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; | |
| · | “Singapore dollars,” “SGD,” and “S$” are to the legal currency of Singapore; | |
| · | “U.S. dollars,” “US$,” “$,” and “dollars” are to the legal currency of the United States; and | |
| · | “we,” “us,” “our,” “our Company,” or the “Company” are to one or more of Davis Commodities Limited and its subsidiaries, as the case may be. |
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, and our SEC filings that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus contain or incorporate by reference forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements,” including any projections of earnings, revenue or other financial items, any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations, any statements concerning proposed new projects or other developments, any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance, any statements of management’s beliefs, goals, strategies, intentions, and objectives, and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. The words “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “potential,” “likely,” “projects,” “continue,” “will,” and “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events, are based on assumptions, and are subject to risks and uncertainties. We cannot guarantee that we actually will achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations expressed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on these statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements. These important factors include those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the applicable prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus we may authorize for use in connection with a specific offering. These factors and the other cautionary statements made in this prospectus should be read as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements whenever they appear in this prospectus. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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Overview
We are an agricultural commodity trading company based in Singapore that specializes in trading of three main categories of agricultural commodities: sugar, rice, and oil and fat products. We distribute agricultural commodities to various markets, including Asia, Africa and the Middle East. We also provide customers of our commodity offerings with complementary, ancillary services such as warehouse handling and storage and logistics services. We are an asset light business and utilize an established global network of third-party commodity suppliers and logistics service providers in order to distribute sugar, rice, and oil and fat products to customers in over 20 countries as of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
We source and market the commodities we distribute under two main brands: Maxwill and Taffy. The Maxwill brand is owned by us and is used for the sugar products and oil and fat products that we distribute outside of Singapore. We have also appointed Tong Seng Produce Pte. Ltd., an established distributor of rice, oil, sugar, flour and fiber products in Singapore, for the exclusive distribution of certain sugar products under our Taffy brand.
We specialize in the sourcing and distribution of sugar products, with sugar products contributing to approximately 61.0%, 74.9% and 69.6% of our revenue for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. We procure sugar products from various origins in order to offer a wide range of sugar products to our customers in Singapore, as well as in different markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East regions. We are a member of The Refined Sugar Association in London, which is the trade association for the international white refined sugar trade. We also source and sell a wide selection of rice products and oil and fat products to our customers in Africa and the People’s Republic of China, or the PRC.
We pride ourselves on the quality of our products and our ability to provide a ‘one-stop service’ to customers. We engage third-party service providers for services such as warehouse handling and storage and logistics services (including distribution, freight forwarding and shipping services) to distribute the commodity products from our suppliers to our customers. We also arrange for our customers’ insurance and security coverage, including cargo insurance for the commodities which pass through our supply chain. Our operations are connected to a large network of such service providers, including freight and shipping companies, which are experienced in handling commodities. Their experienced network, in turn, enables us to coordinate, organize and manage our operations efficiently and offer our customers timely and cost-effective services. We are also able to oversee the quality of the products from the point of procurement to the point of distribution to our customers.
We are led by a devoted management team which is highly experienced in the agricultural commodities industry and has a keen understanding of market dynamics through our regional network of customers, suppliers and service providers. Since our establishment in 1999, we have experienced significant growth. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023, we had total revenue of approximately US$194.2 million, US$206.7 million and US$190.7 million, respectively, representing an increase by 6.4% from fiscal year 2021 to 2022, and a decrease by 7.7% from fiscal year 2022 to 2023.
Corporate Information
Our principal executive offices are located at 10 Bukit Batok Crescent, #10-01, The Spire, Singapore 658079, and our phone number is +65 6896 5333. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at Cricket Square, Hutchins Drive, PO Box 2681, Grand Cayman, KY1-1111, Cayman Islands. Our website address is https://daviscl.com. The information contained in, or accessible from, our website or any other website does not constitute a part of this annual report. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Cogency Global Inc., located at 122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10168.
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Investing in our securities involves risks. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and under the heading “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” in the 2023 Annual Report, which is incorporated in this prospectus by reference, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act that are incorporated herein by reference, together with all of the other information appearing in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, in light of your particular investment objectives and financial circumstances. In addition to those risk factors, there may be additional risks and uncertainties of which management is not aware or focused on or that management deems immaterial. Our business, financial condition, or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. The trading price of our securities could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment. See sections titled “Incorporation of Documents by Reference” and “Where You Can Find Additional Information” of this prospectus.
OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
The Selling Shareholders may from time to time, offer and sell any or all of their Ordinary Shares covered by this prospectus in one or more offerings. The Ordinary Shares offered under this prospectus may be offered in amounts, at prices, and on terms to be determined at the time of sale. We will keep the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part effective until such time as all of the Ordinary Shares covered by this prospectus have been disposed of pursuant to and in accordance with such registration statement.
CAPITALIZATION AND INDEBTEDNESS
The following table sets forth our total capitalization on an actual basis as of December 31, 2023. The information in this table should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto and other financial information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Our historical results do not necessarily indicate our expected results for any future periods.
| December 31, 2023 | ||||
| $ | ||||
| Shareholders’ Equity: | * | |||
| Ordinary shares US$0.000000430108 par value per share; 232,500,000,000 authorized, 24,500,625 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023** | ||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 3,150,867 | |||
| Merger reserve | 1,112,778 | |||
| Retained earnings | 5,981,091 | |||
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | 13,110 | |||
| Total Shareholders’ Equity | 10,257,856 | |||
| Total Indebtedness | 19,621,224 | |||
| Total Capitalization | 10,720,325 | |||
* Denotes amount less than US$1,000
** Retrospectively restated for the effect of the Share Subdivision (defined below)
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any of our Ordinary Shares by the Selling Shareholders. We have agreed to pay all expenses relating to registering the Ordinary Shares covered by this prospectus. The Selling Shareholders will pay any brokerage commissions and/or similar charges incurred in connection with the sale of the Ordinary Shares covered hereby.
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The following description of our share capital and provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, as amended from time to time, are summaries and do not purport to be complete. Reference is made to our memorandum and articles of association, copies of which are filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part (and which is referred to in this section as, respectively, the “memorandum” and the “articles of association”).
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company and our affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association, as amended from time to time, and the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, which we refer to as the Companies Act below, and the common law of the Cayman Islands.
As of the date of this prospectus, our authorized share capital is US$100,000.11 divided into 232,500,000,000 shares, par value of US$0.000000430108 each. As of the date of this prospectus, 24,500,625 Ordinary Shares are issued and outstanding. All of our Ordinary Shares issued are fully paid.
Listing
Our Ordinary Shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “DTCK.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for the Ordinary Shares is VStock Transfer, LLC, at 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York 11598.
Our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association
We have adopted a second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on June 22, 2023. The following are summaries of certain material provisions of our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association adopted on June 22, 2023 (collectively referred to below as our “second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association”) and of the Companies Act, insofar as they relate to the material terms of our Ordinary Shares.
Objects of Our Company. Under our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the objects of our Company are unrestricted, and we are capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of any question of corporate benefit, as provided by section 27(2) of the Companies Act.
Ordinary Shares. Our Ordinary Shares are issued in registered form and are issued when registered in our register of members. We may not issue shares to bearer. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their shares.
Dividends. The holders of our Ordinary Shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors. Our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that dividends may be declared and paid out of the funds of our Company lawfully available therefor. Under the laws of the Cayman Islands, our Company may pay a dividend out of either profit or share premium account; provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid out of our share premium if this would result in our Company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business.
Voting Rights. Voting at any meeting of shareholders is by way of a poll save that in the case of a physical meeting, the chairman of the meeting may decide that a vote be on a show of hands unless a poll is demanded by:
| · | at least three shareholders present in person or by proxy or (in the case of a shareholder being a corporation) by its duly authorized representative for the time being entitled to vote at the meeting; | |
| · | shareholder(s) present in person or by proxy or (in the case of a shareholder being a corporation) by its duly authorized representative representing not less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all shareholders having the right to vote at the meeting; and | |
| · | shareholder(s) present in person or by proxy or (in the case of a shareholder being a corporation) by its duly authorized representative and holding shares in us conferring a right to vote at the meeting being shares on which an aggregate sum has been paid up equal to not less than one-tenth of the total sum paid up on all shares conferring that right. |
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An ordinary resolution to be passed at a meeting by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes attaching to the Ordinary Shares cast at a meeting, while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of the votes cast attaching to the issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares at a meeting. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as a change of name, making changes to our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, a reduction of our share capital and the winding up of our Company. Our shareholders may, among other things, divide or combine their shares by ordinary resolution.
General Meetings of Shareholders. As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by the Companies Act to call shareholders’ annual general meetings. Our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that we shall, if required by the Companies Act, in each year hold a general meeting as our annual general meeting, and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it, and the annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by our directors. All general meetings (including an annual general meeting, any adjourned general meeting or postponed meeting) may be held as a physical meeting at such times and in any part of the world and at one or more locations, as a hybrid meeting or as an electronic meeting, as may be determined by our board of directors in its absolute discretion.
Shareholders’ general meetings may be convened by the chairperson of our board of directors or by a majority of our board of directors. Advance notice of not less than ten clear days is required for the convening of our annual general shareholders’ meeting (if any) and any other general meeting of our shareholders. A quorum required for any general meeting of shareholders consists of, at the time when the meeting proceeds to business, two shareholders holding shares which carry in aggregate (or representing by proxy) not less than one-third of all votes attaching to issued and outstanding shares in our Company entitled to vote at such general meeting.
The Companies Act does not provide shareholders with any right to requisition a general meeting or to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles of association. Our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that upon the requisition of any one or more of our shareholders holding shares which carry in aggregate not less than one-third of all votes attaching to the issued and outstanding shares of our Company entitled to vote at general meetings, our board will convene an extraordinary general meeting and put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting. However, our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any right to put any proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings not called by such shareholders.
Transfer of Ordinary Shares. Subject to the restrictions set out below, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her Ordinary Shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or in a form prescribed by the relevant stock exchange or any other form approved by our board of directors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Ordinary Shares may also be transferred in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the relevant stock exchange.
Our board of directors may, in its absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of any Ordinary Share which is not fully paid up or on which we have a lien. Our board of directors may also decline to register any transfer of any Ordinary Share unless:
| · | the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the Ordinary Shares to which it relates and such other evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer; | |
| · | the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of Ordinary Shares; | |
| · | the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required; | |
| · | in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the Ordinary Share is to be transferred does not exceed four; and | |
| · | a fee of such maximum sum as the relevant stock exchange may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as our directors may from time to time require is paid to us in respect thereof. |
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If our directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within two months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.
The registration of transfers may, after compliance with any notice required in accordance with the rules of the relevant stock exchange, be suspended and the register closed at such times and for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine; provided, however, that the registration of transfers shall not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 days in any year as our board may determine.
Liquidation. On the winding up of our Company, if the assets available for distribution amongst our shareholders shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the share capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst our shareholders in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up, subject to a deduction from those shares in respect of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to our Company for unpaid calls or otherwise. If our assets available for distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, such the assets will be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses are borne by our shareholders in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them.
Calls on Shares and Forfeiture of Shares. Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 days prior to the specified time and place of payment. The shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid are subject to forfeiture.
Redemption, Repurchase and Surrender of Shares. We may issue shares on terms that such shares are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders of these shares, on such terms and in such manner as may be determined by our board of directors. Our Company may also repurchase any of our shares on such terms and in such manner as have been approved by our board of directors. Under the Companies Act, the redemption or repurchase of any share may be paid out of our Company’s profits, share premium account or out of the proceeds of a new issue of shares made for the purpose of such redemption or repurchase, or out of capital if our Company can, immediately following such payment, pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the Companies Act no such share may be redeemed or repurchased (a) unless it is fully paid up, (b) if such redemption or repurchase would result in there being no shares outstanding or (c) if the company has commenced liquidation. In addition, our Company may accept the surrender of any fully paid share for no consideration.
Variations of Rights of Shares. Whenever the capital of our Company is divided into different classes the rights attached to any such class may, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being attached to any class, only be varied with the sanction of a resolution passed by a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation, allotment or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with such existing class of shares.
Issuance of Additional Shares. Our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorizes our board of directors to issue additional Ordinary Shares from time to time as our board of directors shall determine, to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares.
Our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association also authorizes our board of directors to establish from time to time one or more series of preference shares and to determine, with respect to any series of preference shares, the terms and rights of that series, including, among other things:
| · | the designation of the series; | |
| · | the number of shares of the series; | |
| · | the dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights and voting rights; and | |
| · | the rights and terms of redemption and liquidation preferences. |
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Our board of directors may issue preference shares without action by our shareholders to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares. Issuance of these shares may dilute the voting power of holders of Ordinary Shares.
Inspection of Books and Records. Holders of our Ordinary Shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records. However, our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association have provisions that provide our shareholders the right to inspect our register of shareholders without charge, and to receive our annual audited financial statements. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”
Anti-Takeover Provisions. Some provisions of our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our Company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including provisions that:
| · | authorize our board of directors to issue preference shares in one or more series and to designate the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of such preference shares without any further vote or action by our shareholders; and | |
| · | limit the ability of shareholders to requisition and convene general meetings of shareholders. |
However, under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association for a proper purpose and for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our Company.
Exempted Company. We are an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Act. The Companies Act distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary company except that an exempted company:
| · | does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies; | |
| · | is not required to open its register of members for inspection; | |
| · | does not have to hold an annual general meeting; | |
| · | may issue shares with no par value; | |
| · | may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance); | |
| · | may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands; | |
| · | may register as an exempted limited duration company; and | |
| · | may register as a segregated portfolio company. |
“Limited liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount unpaid by the shareholder on that shareholder’s shares of the company (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstances in which a court may be prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil).
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Differences in Corporate Law
The Companies Act is derived, to a large extent, from the older Companies Acts of England but does not follow recent English statutory enactments and accordingly there are significant differences between the Companies Act and the current Companies Act of England. In addition, the Companies Act differs from laws applicable to U.S. corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of certain significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the comparable laws applicable to companies incorporated the State of Delaware in the United States and their shareholders.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. The Companies Act permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands companies and non-Cayman Islands companies. For these purposes, (a) “merger” means the merging of two or more constituent companies and the vesting of their undertaking, property and liabilities in one of such companies as the surviving company, and (b) a “consolidation” means the combination of two or more constituent companies into a consolidated company and the vesting of the undertaking, property and liabilities of such companies to the consolidated company. In order to effect such a merger or consolidation, the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must then be authorized by (a) a special resolution of the shareholders of each constituent company, and (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. The plan must be filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands together with a declaration as to the solvency of the consolidated or surviving company, a list of the assets and liabilities of each constituent company and an undertaking that a copy of the certificate of merger or consolidation will be given to the members and creditors of each constituent company and that notification of the merger or consolidation will be published in the Cayman Islands Gazette. Court approval is not required for a merger or consolidation which is effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.
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 company is a “parent” of a subsidiary if it holds issued shares that together represent at least ninety percent (90%) of the votes at a general meeting of the subsidiary.
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 limited circumstances, a shareholder of a Cayman constituent company who dissents from the merger or consolidation is entitled to payment of the fair value of his shares (which, if not agreed between the parties, will be determined by the Cayman Islands court) upon dissenting to the merger or consolidation, provided the dissenting shareholder complies strictly with the procedures set out in the Companies Act. The exercise of dissenter rights will preclude the exercise by the dissenting shareholder of any other rights to which he or she might otherwise be entitled by virtue of holding shares, save for the right to seek relief on the grounds that the merger or consolidation is void or unlawful.
Separate from the statutory provisions relating to mergers and consolidations, the Companies Act also contains statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies by way of schemes of arrangement, provided that the arrangement is approved by seventy-five per cent in value of the members or class of members, as the case may be, with whom the arrangement is to be made or a majority in number of each class of creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made and who must in addition represent seventy-five per cent in value of each such class of 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 Act. |
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The Companies Act also contains a statutory power of compulsory acquisition which may facilitate the “squeeze out” of a dissentient minority shareholder upon a tender offer. When a tender offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares affected 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 to the offeror 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 by way of scheme of arrangement is thus approved and sanctioned, or if a tender offer is made and accepted, in accordance with the foregoing statutory procedures, a dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, save that objectors to a takeover offer may apply to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands for various orders that the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands has a broad discretion to make, 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.
The Companies Act also contains statutory provisions which provide that a company may present a petition to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands for the appointment of a restructuring officer on the grounds that the company (a) is or is likely to become unable to pay its debts within the meaning of section 93 of the Companies Act; and (b) intends to present a compromise or arrangement to its creditors (or classes thereof) either, pursuant to the Companies Act, the law of a foreign country or by way of a consensual restructuring. The petition may be presented by a company acting by its directors, without a resolution of its members or an express power in its articles of association. On hearing such a petition, the Cayman Islands court may, among other things, make an order appointing a restructuring officer or make any other order as the court thinks fit.
Shareholders’ Suits. In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff and as a general rule 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, the Cayman Islands courts can be expected to follow and apply the common law principles (namely the rule in Foss v. Harbottle and the exceptions thereto) so that a non-controlling shareholder may be permitted to commence a class action against or derivative actions in the name of the company to challenge actions where:
| · | a company acts or proposes to act illegally or ultra vires; | |
| · | the act complained of, although not ultra vires, could only be effected duly if authorized by more than the number of votes which have actually been obtained; and | |
| · | those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.” |
A shareholder may have a direct right of action against us where the individual rights of that shareholder have been infringed or are about to be infringed.
Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability. Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that that we shall indemnify our directors and officers, and their personal representatives, against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such persons, other than by reason of such person’s dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of our Company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such director or officer in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning our Company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation.
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In addition, we will enter into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Directors’ Fiduciary Duties. Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director acts in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director acts in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He must not use his corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interest of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, the director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction, and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.
As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a director of a Cayman Islands company is in the position of a fiduciary with respect to the company and therefore it is considered that he owes the following duties to the company - a duty to act in good faith in the best interests of the company, a duty not to make a personal profit based on his position as director (unless the company permits him to do so), a duty not to put himself in a position where the interests of the company conflict with his personal interest or his duty to a third-party and a duty to exercise powers for the purpose for which such powers were intended. A director of a Cayman Islands company owes to the company a duty to act with skill and care. It was previously considered that a director need not exhibit in the performance of his duties a greater degree of skill than may reasonably be expected from a person of his knowledge and experience. However, English and Commonwealth courts have moved towards an objective standard with regard to the required skill and care and these authorities are likely to be followed in the Cayman Islands. In fulfilling their duty of care to us, our directors must ensure compliance with our memorandum and articles of association, as amended from time to time. The Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands also imposes a number of statutory duties on a director.
Shareholder Action by Written Consent. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by amendment to its certificate of incorporation. Our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that a resolution in writing signed by or on behalf of all persons for the time being entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings of our Company shall be treated as a resolution duly passed at a general meeting of our Company and, where relevant, as a special resolution so passed.
Shareholder Proposals. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings.
The Companies Act does not provide shareholders with any right to requisition a general meeting or to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles of association. Our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association allow our shareholders holding shares which carry in aggregate not less than one-third of all votes attaching to the issued and outstanding shares of our Company entitled to vote at general meetings to requisition an extraordinary general meeting of our shareholders, in which case our board is obliged to convene an extraordinary general meeting and to put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting. Other than this right to requisition a shareholders’ meeting, our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any other right to put proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings. As an exempted Cayman Islands company, we are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.
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Cumulative Voting. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. There are no prohibitions in relation to cumulative voting under the laws of the Cayman Islands but our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.
Removal of Directors. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, subject to certain restrictions as contained therein, directors may be removed with or without cause, by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders. An appointment of a director may be on terms that the director shall automatically retire from office (unless he has sooner vacated office) at the next or a subsequent annual general meeting or upon any specified event or after any specified period in a written agreement between the company and the director, if any; but no such term shall be implied in the absence of express provision. Under our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, a director’s office shall be vacated if the director (i) becomes bankrupt or has a receiving order made against him or suspends payment or compounds with his creditors; (ii) is found to be or becomes of unsound mind or dies; (iii) resigns his office by notice in writing to the company; (iv) without special leave of absence from our board of directors, is absent from three consecutive meetings of the board and the board resolves that his office be vacated; (v) is prohibited by law from being a director or; (vi) is removed from office pursuant to the laws of the Cayman Islands or any other provisions of our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
Transactions with Interested Shareholders. The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or a group who or which owns or owned 15% or more of the target’s outstanding voting share within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors.
Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions must be entered into bona fide in the best interests of the company and not with the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders.
Dissolution; Winding up. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board.
Under Cayman Islands law, a company may be wound up by either an order of the courts of the Cayman Islands or by a special resolution of its members or, if the company is unable to pay its debts, by an ordinary resolution of its members. The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so.
Variation of Rights of Shares. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, if our share capital is divided into more than one class of shares, the rights attached to any such class may only be varied with the sanction of a resolution passed by a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.
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Amendment of Governing Documents. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under Cayman Islands law, our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended with a special resolution of our shareholders.
Rights of Non-resident or Foreign Shareholders. There are no limitations imposed by our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.
Anti-money Laundering—Cayman Islands
In order to comply with legislation or regulations aimed at the prevention of money laundering, we may be required to adopt and maintain anti-money laundering procedures, and may require subscribers to provide evidence to verify their identity. Where permitted, and subject to certain conditions, we may also delegate the maintenance of our anti-money laundering procedures (including the acquisition of due diligence information) to a suitable person.
We reserve the right to request such information as is necessary to verify the identity of a subscriber. In the event of delay or failure on the part of the subscriber in producing any information required for verification purposes, we may refuse to accept the application, in which case any funds received will be returned without interest to the account from which they were originally debited.
We also reserve the right to refuse to make any redemption payment to a shareholder if our directors or officers suspect or are advised that the payment of redemption proceeds to such shareholder might result in a breach of applicable anti-money laundering or other laws or regulations by any person in any relevant jurisdiction, or if such refusal is considered necessary or appropriate to ensure our compliance with any such laws or regulations in any applicable jurisdiction.
If any person resident in the Cayman Islands knows or suspects or has reason for knowing or suspecting that another person is engaged in criminal conduct or is involved with terrorism or terrorist financing and property and the information for that knowledge or suspicion came to their attention in the course of their business in the regulated sector, or other trade, profession, business or employment, the person will be required to report such knowledge or suspicion to (i) a nominated officer (appointed in accordance with the Proceeds of Crime Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands) or the Financial Reporting Authority of the Cayman Islands, pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act (As Revised), if the disclosure relates to criminal conduct or money laundering or (ii) to a police officer of the rank of constable or higher or a nominated officer (pursuant to the Terrorism Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands) or the Financial Reporting Authority, pursuant to the Terrorism Act (As Revised), if the disclosure relates to involvement with terrorism or terrorist financing and terrorist property. Such a report shall not be treated as a breach of confidence or of any restriction upon the disclosure of information imposed by any enactment or otherwise.
Legislation of the Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands, together with several other non-European Union jurisdictions, has recently introduced legislation aimed at addressing concerns raised by the Council of the European Union as to offshore structures engaged in certain activities which attract profits without real economic activity. With effect from January 1, 2019, the International Tax Co-operation (Economic Substance) Act (As Revised), or the “Substance Act”, and issued Regulations and Guidance Notes came into force in the Cayman Islands introducing certain economic substance requirements for in-scope Cayman Islands entities which are engaged in certain “relevant activities,” which in the case of exempted companies incorporated before January 1, 2019, applies in respect of financial years commencing July 1, 2019, onwards. A “relevant entity” includes an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands; however, it does not include an entity that is tax resident outside the Cayman Islands. Accordingly, if we are tax resident outside the Cayman Islands, we are not required to satisfy the economic substance test under the Substance Act. As we are a Cayman Islands company, compliance obligations include filing annual notifications for the Company, which need to state whether we are carrying out any relevant activities and if so, whether we have satisfied economic substance tests to the extent required under the Substance Act. Although it is presently anticipated that the Substance Act will have little material impact on us and our operations, as the legislation is new and remains subject to further clarification and amendments, it is not currently possible to ascertain the precise impact of these legislative changes on us and on our operations. We may need to allocate additional resources to keep updated with these developments, and may have to make changes to our operations in order to comply with all applicable requirements under the Substance Act. Failure to satisfy these requirements may subject us to penalties under the Substance Act.
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History of Share Issuances
We were incorporated in the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability on September 20, 2022. Upon incorporation, our Company had on September 20, 2022 issued to the initial subscriber 1 ordinary share of a par value of US$0.001 (which was transferred to Mr. Ng Hong Whee on the same day). We have also issued the following ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.001 each to certain founding shareholders.
| Purchaser | Date of Issuance | Number of Ordinary Shares | ||
| Mr. Ng Hong Whee | September 20, 2022 | 2,065 | ||
| ACCT Pte. Ltd. | September 20, 2022 | 486 | ||
| Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd. | September 20, 2022 | 6,476 | ||
| TYM Investment Holdings Pte. Ltd. | September 20, 2022 | 486 | ||
| BSPL Services Pte. Ltd. | September 20, 2022 | 486 |
On June 22, 2023, our shareholders approved (i) a subdivision of each issued and unissued ordinary share of par value of US$0.001 each into 2,325 Ordinary Shares (the “Share Subdivision”), (ii) an increase in our authorized share capital from US$100,000 divided into 100,000,000 shares of a par value of US$0.001 each to US$100,000.11 divided into 232,500,000,000 shares of a par value of US$0.000000430108 each and (iii) the adoption of the second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, in order to reflect the foregoing alterations to our share capital.
Unless otherwise indicated, all references to Ordinary Shares, options to purchase Ordinary Shares, share data, per share data, and related information have been retroactively adjusted, where applicable, to reflect the Share Subdivision mentioned above as if it had occurred at the beginning of the earlier period presented.
On September 21, 2023, we closed our initial public offering pursuant to which 1,250,625 Ordinary Shares were allotted and issued at a public offering price of $4.00 per share, which included 163,125 Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
This prospectus covers the resale of all of the Ordinary Shares owned by Mr. Lek Pow Sheng Pauson, Mr. Leck Yak Tee Zaccheus, and Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd., as specified in the table below. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of Ordinary Shares by the Selling Shareholders.
On September 20, 2022, upon incorporation of our Company, we issued 6,476 Ordinary Shares to Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd., which equals 15,056,700 Ordinary Shares after the Share Subdivision.
On April 2, 2024, Mr. Lek Pow Sheng Pauson purchased 2,108,381 Ordinary Shares, from Mr. Ng Hong Whee through a private placement. On the same day, Mr. Leck Yak Tee Zaccheus purchased 1,960,050 Ordinary Shares from Mr. Ng Hong Whee through a private placement.
On April 9, 2024, Mr. Lek Pow Sheng Pauson purchased 129,950 Ordinary Shares from ACCT Pte. Ltd. through a private placement. On the same day, Mr. Leck Yak Tee Zaccheus purchased 129,950 Ordinary Shares from BSPL Services Pte. Ltd. through a private placement.
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The following table sets forth (a) the name and position or positions with the Company of each Selling Shareholder; (b) the number of Ordinary Shares held by each Selling Shareholder as of the date of this prospectus; (c) the number of Ordinary Shares that each Selling Shareholder may offer for sale from time to time pursuant to this prospectus, whether or not such Selling Shareholder has a present intention to do so; and (d) the number of Ordinary Shares to be beneficially owned by each Selling Shareholder following the sale of all shares that may be so offered pursuant to this prospectus, assuming no other change in ownership of Ordinary Shares by such Selling Shareholder after the date of this prospectus. Unless otherwise indicated, beneficial ownership is direct and the person indicated has sole voting and investment power.
Inclusion of an individual’s name in the table below does not constitute an admission that such individual is an “affiliate” of the Company.
| Principal Position with | Shares Owned Prior to Resale(2) | Number of Shares Offered for | Shares Beneficially Owned after Resale(2) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Selling Shareholders | the Company(1) | Number | Percent | Resale | Number | Percent | ||||||||||||||||||
| Mr. Lek Pow Sheng Pauson | (3 | ) | 2,238,331 | 9.136% | 2,238,331 | – | – | |||||||||||||||||
| Mr. Leck Yak Tee Zaccheus | (3 | ) | 2,090,000 | 8.530% | 2,090,000 | – | – | |||||||||||||||||
| Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd. | (4 | ) | 15,056,700 | 61.454% | 15,056,700 | – | – | |||||||||||||||||
| (1) | All positions described are with the Company, unless otherwise indicated. |
| (2) | Percentage is computed with reference to 24,500,625 Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding as of September 24, 2024 and assumes for each Selling Shareholder the sale of all shares offered by that particular Selling Shareholder under this prospectus. In computing the percentage ownership of each Selling Shareholder, shares that such Selling Shareholder has the right to acquire within 60 days, including through the exercise of any option, warrant, or other right or the conversion of any other security, after the date of this prospectus, are included. |
| (3) | Mr. Lek Pow Sheng Pauson is the nephew of our Executive Chairwoman and Executive Director, Ms. Li Peng Leck. Mr. Leck Yak Tee Zaccheus is the brother of Ms. Li Peng Leck and a sales manager of the Company. Ms. Li Peng Leck shares voting and dispositive power over the Ordinary Shares held by Mr. Lek Pow Sheng Pauson and Mr. Leck Yak Tee Zaccheus. The principal address of Mr. Lek Pow Sheng Pauson is Block 645 Jurong West Street 61, #14-102 Singapore 640645. The principal address of Mr. Leck Yak Tee Zaccheus is Block 546A Segar Road, #17-65 Singapore 671546. |
| (4) | The number of Ordinary Shares owned represents 15,056,700 Ordinary Shares held by our Executive Chairwoman and Executive Director, Ms. Li Peng Leck through Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd. Ms. Li Peng Leck holds a 50% of equity interest in Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd. Her children, Jun Xue Tan, Jun Wei Tan, and Yi Xi Tan, collectively hold another 50% of equity interests in Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd. Ms. Li Peng Leck is the registered director of Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd. The 50% ownership held by Ms. Li Peng Leck constitutes a controlling interest in Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd. The registered address of Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd. is 10 Bukit Batok Crescent, #10-01, The Spire, Singapore. |
The Company may supplement this prospectus from time to time as required by the rules of the SEC to include certain information concerning the security ownership of the Selling Shareholders or any new Selling Shareholders, the number of securities offered for resale and the position, office, or other material relationship which a Selling Shareholder has had within the past three years with the Company or any of its predecessors or affiliates.
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In this section of the prospectus, the term “Selling Shareholders” means and includes:
| ● | the persons identified in the table above as the Selling Shareholders; and | |
| ● | any of the donees, pledgees, distributees, transferees, or other successors in interest of those persons referenced above who may: (a) receive any of the Ordinary Shares offered hereby after the date of this prospectus and (b) offer or sell those shares hereunder. |
The Ordinary Shares offered by this prospectus may be sold from time to time directly by the Selling Shareholders. Alternatively, the Selling Shareholders may from time to time offer such shares through underwriters, brokers, dealers, agents, or other intermediaries. The Selling Shareholders as of the date of this prospectus have advised us that there were no underwriting or distribution arrangements entered into with respect to the Ordinary Shares offered hereby. The distribution of the Ordinary Shares by the Selling Shareholders may be effected: in one or more transactions that may take place on the Nasdaq Capital Market (including one or more block transaction) through customary brokerage channels, either through brokers acting as agents for the Selling Shareholders, or through market makers, dealers, or underwriters acting as principals who may resell these shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market; in privately-negotiated sales; by a combination of such methods; or by other means. These transactions may be effected at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices, or at other negotiated prices. Usual and customary or specifically negotiated brokerage fees or commissions may be paid by the Selling Shareholders in connection with sales of our Ordinary Shares.
The Selling Shareholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers in connection with distributions of the shares or otherwise. In such transactions, broker-dealers may engage in short sales of our Ordinary Shares in the course of hedging the positions they assume with the Selling Shareholders. The Selling Shareholders also may sell shares short and redeliver the shares to close out such short positions. The Selling Shareholders may enter into options or other transactions with broker-dealers which require the delivery to the broker-dealer of our Ordinary Shares. The broker-dealer may then resell or otherwise transfer such Ordinary Shares pursuant to this prospectus.
The Selling Shareholders may also lend or pledge our Ordinary Shares to a broker-dealer. The broker-dealer may sell the Ordinary Shares so lent, or upon a default the broker-dealer may sell the pledged Ordinary Shares pursuant to this prospectus. Any securities covered by this prospectus which qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 may be sold under Rule 144 rather than pursuant to this prospectus.
The Selling Shareholders have advised us that they have not entered into any agreements, understandings, or arrangements with any underwriters or broker-dealers regarding the sale of their securities. There is no underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with the proposed sale of Ordinary Shares by the Selling Shareholders.
Although the Ordinary Shares covered by this prospectus are not currently being underwritten, the Selling Shareholders or their underwriters, brokers, dealers, or other agents or other intermediaries, if any, that may participate with the selling security holders in any offering or distribution of the Ordinary Shares may be deemed “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act and any profits realized or commissions received by them may be deemed underwriting compensation thereunder.
Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any person engaged in a distribution of the Ordinary Shares offered hereby may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to the Ordinary Shares for a period of up to five days preceding such distribution. The Selling Shareholders will be subject to the applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, including without limitation Regulation M, which provisions may limit the timing of purchases and sales by the Selling Shareholders.
In order to comply with certain state securities or blue sky laws and regulations, if applicable, the Ordinary Shares offered hereby will be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In certain states, the Ordinary Shares may not be sold unless they are registered or qualified for sale in such state, or unless an exemption from registration or qualification is available and is obtained.
We will bear all costs, expenses, and fees in connection with the registration of the Ordinary Shares offered hereby. The Selling Shareholders, however, will bear any brokerage or underwriting commissions and similar selling expenses, if any, attributable to the sale of the Ordinary Shares offered pursuant to this prospectus.
There can be no assurance that the Selling Shareholders will sell any or all of the securities offered by them hereby.
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Material income tax consequences relating to the purchase, ownership, and disposition of the securities offered by this prospectus are set forth in “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation” in the 2023 Annual Report, which is incorporated herein by reference, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference and, if applicable, in any accompanying prospectus supplement or relevant free writing prospectus.
The following table sets forth the aggregate expenses in connection with this offering, all of which will be paid by us. All amounts shown are estimates, except for the SEC registration fee.
| SEC registration fee | $ | 3,090.13 |
||
| Legal fees and expenses | $ | * | ||
| Accounting fees and expenses | $ | * | ||
| Printing and postage expenses | $ | * | ||
| Miscellaneous expenses | $ | * | ||
| Total | $ | * |
| * | To be provided by a prospectus supplement or as an exhibit to a report of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K that is incorporated by reference into this registration statement. Estimated solely for this item. Actual expenses may vary. |
Our material contracts are described in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See “Incorporation of Documents by Reference” below.
Except as otherwise described in the 2023 Annual Report, in our reports of foreign issuer on Form 6-K filed or submitted under the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference herein, and as disclosed in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement, no reportable material changes have occurred since December 31, 2023.
We are being represented by Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC with respect to certain legal matters of U.S. federal securities and New York State law. The validity of the Ordinary Shares offered in this offering and certain other legal matters as to Cayman Islands law will be passed upon for us by Conyers Dill & Pearman Pte. Ltd., our counsel as to Cayman Islands law. Legal matters as to Singapore law will be passed upon for us by Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP. If legal matters in connection with offerings made pursuant to this prospectus are passed upon by counsel to underwriters, dealers, or agents, such counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any such offering.
The consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023 incorporated herein by reference have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of Onestop Assurance PAC, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The office of Onestop Assurance PAC is located at 10 Anson Road, #06-15, International Plaza, Singapore 079903.
| 17 |
INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus certain information we file with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein, or in any subsequently filed document, which also is incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such earlier statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
We hereby incorporate by reference into this prospectus the following documents:
| (1) | our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 15, 2024; | |
| (3) | our reports of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K filed with the SEC on May 16, 2024, August 1, 2024, and August 30, 2024; | |
| (4) | the description of our Ordinary Shares contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A, filed with the SEC on September 14, 2023, the description of securities contained in exhibit 2.2 to the 2023 Annual Report filed with the SEC on May 15, 2024 and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; | |
| (5) | any future annual reports on Form 20-F filed with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the securities offered by this prospectus; and | |
| (6) | any future reports of foreign private issuer on Form 6-K that we furnish to the SEC after the date of this prospectus that are identified in such reports as being incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. |
The 2023 Annual Report contains a description of our business and audited consolidated financial statements with a report by our independent auditors. These statements were prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Unless expressly incorporated by reference, nothing in this prospectus shall be deemed to incorporate by reference information furnished to, but not filed with, the SEC. Copies of all documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to those document unless such exhibits are specially incorporated by reference in this prospectus, will be provided at no cost to each person, including any beneficial owner, who receives a copy of this prospectus on the written or oral request of that person made to:
Davis Commodities Limited
10 Bukit Batok Crescent, #10-01, The Spire
Singapore 658079
+65 6896 5333
You should rely only on the information that we incorporate by reference or provide in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making any offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained or incorporated in this prospectus by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document containing the information.
| 18 |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
As permitted by SEC rules, this prospectus omits certain information and exhibits that are included in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Since this prospectus may not contain all of the information that you may find important, you should review the full text of these documents. If we have filed a contract, agreement, or other document as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, you should read the exhibit for a more complete understanding of the document or matter involved. Each statement in this prospectus, including statements incorporated by reference as discussed above, regarding a contract, agreement, or other document is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual document.
We are subject to periodic reporting and other informational requirements of the Exchange Act as applicable to foreign private issuers. Accordingly, we are required to file reports, including annual reports on Form 20-F, and other information with the SEC. All information filed with the SEC can be inspected over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, the rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive officers, directors, and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic or current reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act.
ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
Cayman Islands
We are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability. We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands because of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands exempted company, such as political and economic stability, an effective judicial system, a favorable tax system, the absence of foreign exchange control or currency restrictions and the availability of professional and support services. However, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the United States and provides less protection for investors. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the federal courts of the United States.
Substantially all of our assets are located outside the United States. In addition, all of our directors and officers are nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the United States and all or a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us or these persons, or to enforce judgments obtained in U.S. courts against us or them, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. It may also be difficult for you to enforce 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.
We have appointed Cogency Global Inc. as our agent to receive service of process with respect to any action brought against us in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York under the federal securities laws of the United States or of any state in the United States or any action brought against us in the Supreme Court of the State of New York in the County of New York under the securities laws of the State of New York.
Conyers Dill & Pearman Pte. Ltd., our counsel as to the laws of the Cayman Islands, has advised us that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands would (i) recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or executive officers that are predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any state in the United States, or (ii) entertain original actions brought in the Cayman Islands against us or our directors or executive officers that are predicated upon the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any state in the United States.
| 19 |
We have been advised by Conyers Dill & Pearman Pte. Ltd. that, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the federal or state courts of the United States (and the Cayman Islands are not a party to any treaties for the reciprocal enforcement or recognition of such judgments with the United States), the courts of the Cayman Islands may recognize as a valid judgment, a final and conclusive judgment in personam obtained in the federal or state courts of the United States against the Company under which a sum of money is payable (other than a sum of money payable in respect of multiple damages, taxes or other charges of a like nature or in respect of a fine or other penalty) or, in certain circumstances, an in personam judgment for non-monetary relief, and may give a judgment based thereon, provided that (a) such courts had proper jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment; (b) such courts did not contravene the rules of natural justice of the Cayman Islands; (c) such judgment was not obtained by fraud; (d) the enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands; (e) no new admissible evidence relevant to the action is submitted prior to the rendering of the judgment by the courts of the Cayman Islands; and (f) there is due compliance with the correct procedures under the laws of the Cayman Islands. However, the Cayman Islands courts are unlikely to enforce a judgment obtained from United States courts under civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities law if such judgment is determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands to give rise to obligations to make payments that are penal or punitive in nature. Because such a determination has not yet been made by a court of the Cayman Islands, it is uncertain whether such civil liability judgments from U.S. courts would be enforceable in the Cayman Islands. A Cayman Islands court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
Singapore
There is uncertainty as to whether the courts of Singapore would (i) recognize or enforce judgments of United States courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States or (ii) entertain original actions brought in Singapore against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States.
There is no treaty between the United States and Singapore providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters and a final judgment for the payment of money rendered by any federal or state court in the United States based on civil liability, whether or not predicated solely upon the federal securities laws, would, therefore, not be automatically enforceable in Singapore.
In making a determination as to enforceability of a judgment of the courts of the United States, and subject to the Singapore courts having jurisdiction over the judgment debtor, the Singapore courts would have regard to whether the judgment was final and conclusive and on the merits of the case, given by a court of law of competent jurisdiction, and was expressed to be for a fixed sum of money. In general, an in personam foreign judgment that is final and conclusive (that is, in general, a judgment that makes a final determination of rights between the parties and cannot be re-opened or altered by the court that delivered it, or be overridden by another body not being an appellate or supervisory body, although it may be subject to an appeal), given by a competent court of law having jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment, and for a fixed and ascertainable sum of money, may be enforceable as a debt in the Singapore courts under common law unless procured by fraud, or the proceedings in which such judgments were obtained were not conducted in accordance with principles of natural justice, or the enforcement thereof would be contrary to fundamental public policy, or if the judgment would conflict with earlier judgment(s) from Singapore or earlier foreign judgment(s) recognized in Singapore, or if the judgment would amount to the direct or indirect enforcement of foreign penal, revenue or other public laws (save where any such component of the judgment can be duly severed from the rest of the judgment sought to be enforced). Civil liability provisions of the federal and state securities law of the United States permit the award of punitive damages against us, our directors and officers. Singapore courts would not recognize or enforce judgments against us, our directors and officers to the extent that doing so would amount to the direct or indirect enforcement of foreign penal, revenue or other public laws. It is uncertain as to whether a judgment of the courts of the United States under civil liability provisions of the federal securities law of the United States would be regarded by the Singapore courts as being pursuant to foreign, penal, revenue or other public laws. Such a determination has yet to be conclusively made by a Singapore court in a reported decision.
| 20 |
Davis Commodities Limited
19,385,031 Ordinary Shares Offered by Selling Shareholders
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of directors and officers, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against the consequences of committing a crime, or against the indemnified person’s own fraud or dishonesty.
Our second amended and restated articles of association provide that we will indemnify every director, secretary, assistant secretary, or other officer for the time being and from time to time of our Company (but not including our auditors) and the personal representatives of the same and from: (a) all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages, or liabilities incurred or sustained by such person, other than by reason of such person’s own dishonesty, willful default, or fraud, in or about the conduct of our business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of that person’s duties, powers, authorities, or discretions; and (b) without limitation to paragraph (a) above, all costs, expenses, losses, or liabilities incurred by such person in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning us or our affairs in any court, whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere.
We have agreed to indemnify our directors and officers against certain liabilities and expenses incurred by such persons in connection with claims made by reason of their being such a director or officer.
Item 9. Exhibits
| Exhibit No. | Description | |
| 4.1 | Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for Ordinary Shares (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-270427), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on March 9, 2023) | |
| 5.1* | Opinion of Conyers Dill & Pearman Pte. Ltd. | |
| 23.1* | Consent of Onestop Assurance PAC | |
| 23.2* | Consent of Conyers Dill & Pearman Pte. Ltd. (included in Exhibit 5.1) | |
| 23.3* | Consent of Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP | |
| 107* | Filing Fee Table |
| * | Filed herewith. |
| II-1 |
Item 10 Undertakings
| (a) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
| (1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| (i) | To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
| (ii) | To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement. |
| (iii) | To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement. |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii), and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).
| (2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
| (4) | To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 need not be furnished, provided, that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 or Rule 3-19 of Regulation S-K if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement. | |
| (5) | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: |
| (i) | Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
| II-2 |
| (ii) | Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
| (6) | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
| (i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
| (ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
| (iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
| (iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
| (b) | That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (c) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
| II-3 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on September 27, 2024.
| Davis Commodities Limited | ||
| By: | /s/ Li Peng Leck | |
| Li Peng Leck | ||
| Executive Chairwoman and Executive Director (Principal Executive Officer) | ||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Name | Title | Date | ||
| /s/ Li Peng Leck | Executive Chairwoman and Executive Director (Principal Executive Officer) | September 27, 2024 | ||
| Name: Li Peng Leck | ||||
| /s/ Ai Imm Lim | Group Financial Controller (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer) | September 27, 2024 | ||
| Name: Ai Imm Lim | ||||
| /s/ Abbie Jillia Lee | Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Director | September 27, 2024 | ||
| Name: Abbie Jillia Lee | ||||
| /s/ Rui Wang | Non-Executive and Independent Director | September 27, 2024 | ||
| Name: Rui Wang | ||||
| II-4 |
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES
Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of America of Davis Commodities Limited, has signed this registration statement thereto in New York, NY on September 27, 2024.
| Cogency Global Inc. | ||
| Authorized U.S. Representative | ||
| By: | /s/ Colleen A. De Vries | |
| Name: | Colleen A. De Vries | |
| Title: | Senior Vice President on behalf of Cogency Global Inc. | |
| II-5 |
Exhibit 5.1
 |
CONYERS DILL & PEARMAN PTE. LTD. 9 Battery Road #20-01 MYP Centre Singapore 049910 T +65 6223 6006 conyers.com
|
27 September 2024
Matter No. 1002504
Davis Commodities Limited
10 Bukit Batok Crescent
#10-01 The Spire
Singapore 658079
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Re: Davis Commodities Limited (the “Company”)
We have acted as special Cayman Islands legal counsel to the Company in connection with a registration statement on Form F-3 filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on or about the date hereof (the “Registration Statement”, which term does not include any other document or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit or schedule thereto) and the prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”) through which Mr. Lek Pow Sheng Pauson, Mr. Leck Yak Tee Zaccheus, and Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd. (together, the “Selling Shareholders”) may offer and sell up to an aggregate of 19,385,031 ordinary shares of par value US$0.000000430108 each in the capital of the Company (the “Sale Shares”).
| 1. | DOCUMENTS REVIEWED |
For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined the following documents:
| 1.1. | the Registration Statement; and |
| 1.2. | the Prospectus. |
The documents listed in items 1.1 through 1.2 above are herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “Documents” (which term does not include any other instrument or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit or schedule thereto).
We have also reviewed:
| 1.3. | a copy of the second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company adopted on 22 June 2023 (the “M&A”); |
| 1.4. | a copy of the written resolutions of the directors of the Company dated 25 September 2024 (the “Resolutions”); |
| 1 |
| 1.5. | a copy of a Certificate of Good Standing issued by the Registrar of Companies in relation to the Company on 23 September 2024 (the “Certificate Date”); |
| 1.6. | the register of members of the Company certified by a director of the Company on 23 September 2024; and |
| 1.7. | such other documents and made such enquiries as to questions of law as we have deemed necessary in order to render the opinion set forth below. |
| 2. | ASSUMPTIONS |
We have assumed:
| 2.1. | the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the conformity to the originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined by us and the authenticity and completeness of the originals from which such copies were taken; |
| 2.2. | that where a document has been examined by us in draft form, it will be or has been executed in the form of that draft, and where a number of drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been marked or otherwise drawn to our attention; |
| 2.3. | the capacity, power and authority of each of the parties to the Documents, other than the Company, to enter into and perform its respective obligations under the Documents; |
| 2.4. | the due execution and delivery of the Documents by each of the parties thereto, other than the Company, and the physical delivery thereof by the Company with an intention to be bound thereby; |
| 2.5. | the accuracy and completeness of all factual representations made in the Documents and other documents reviewed by us; |
| 2.6. | that the Resolutions were passed at one or more duly convened, constituted and quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolutions, remain in full force and effect and have not been, and will not be, rescinded or amended; |
| 2.7. | that the M&A will remain in full force and effect and will not be amended in any manner that would affect the opinions expressed herein; |
| 2.8. | that there is no provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other than the Cayman Islands, which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein; |
| 2.9. | the validity and binding effect under the laws of the United States of America of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that the Registration Statement will be duly filed with or declared effective by the Commission; |
| 2.10. | that the Prospectus, when published, will be in substantially the same form as that examined by us for purposes of this opinion; |
| 2.11. | that on the date of entering into the Documents the Company is and after entering into the Documents will be able to pay its debts as they become due; and |
| 2.12. | that the Selling Shareholders will continue to be the holders of a number of ordinary shares of par value US$0.000000430108 each in the capital of the Company (“Ordinary Shares”) equal to the number of the Sale Shares. |
| 2 |
| 3. | QUALIFICATIONS |
| 3.1. | The obligations of the Company under the Documents: |
| (a) | will be subject to the laws from time to time in effect relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, possessory liens, rights of set off, reorganisation, amalgamation, merger, consolidation, moratorium, bribery, corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing or any other laws or legal procedures, whether of a similar nature or otherwise, generally affecting the rights of creditors as well as applicable international sanctions; | |
| (b) | will be subject to statutory limitation of the time within which proceedings may be brought; | |
| (c) | will be subject to general principles of equity and, as such, specific performance and injunctive relief, being equitable remedies, may not be available; | |
| (d) | may not be given effect to by a Cayman Islands court, whether or not it was applying the Foreign Laws, if and to the extent they constitute the payment of an amount which is in the nature of a penalty; and | |
| (e) | may not be given effect by a Cayman Islands court to the extent that they are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and such performance would be illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any contractual submission to the exclusive or non-exclusive jurisdiction of specific courts, a Cayman Islands court has inherent discretion to stay or allow proceedings in the Cayman Islands against the Company under the Documents if there are other proceedings in respect of the Documents simultaneously underway against the Company in another jurisdiction. |
| 3.2. | We express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision of the Documents which provides for the payment of a specified rate of interest on the amount of a judgment after the date of judgment or which purports to fetter the statutory powers of the Company. |
| 3.3. | We have made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. This opinion is to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis of the current law and practice in the Cayman Islands. This opinion is issued solely for your benefit and use in connection with the matter described herein and is not to be relied upon by any other person, firm or entity or in respect of any other matter. |
| 4. | OPINION |
On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
| 4.1. | The Company is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands and, based on the Certificate of Good Standing, is in good standing as at the Certificate Date. Pursuant to the Companies Act (“Act”), a company is deemed to be in good standing if all fees and penalties under the Act have been paid and the Registrar of Companies has no knowledge that the company is in default under the Act. |
| 4.2. | Based solely upon our review of the register of members of the Company certified by a director of the Company on 23 September 2024, as at 23 September 2024, each of Mr. Lek Pow Sheng Pauson, Mr. Leck Yak Tee Zaccheus, and Davis & KT Holdings Pte. Ltd. was the registered holder of 2,238,331 Ordinary Shares, 2,090,000 Ordinary Shares and 15,056,700 Ordinary Shares respectively, and such Ordinary Shares are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (which term when used herein means that no further sums are required to be paid by the holders thereof in connection with the issue of such shares). |
| 3 |
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the captions “Enforcement of Civil Liabilities” and “Legal Matters” in the prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are experts within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act or that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Yours faithfully,
/s/ Conyers Dill & Pearman Pte. Ltd.
Conyers Dill & Pearman Pte. Ltd.
| 4 |
Exhibit 23.1
 |
Onestop Assurance PAC Co. Registration No.: 201823302D 10 Anson Road #06-15 International Plaza Singapore, 079903 Email: audit@onestop-ca.com Website: www.onestop-ca.com |
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form F-3 of Davis Commodities Limited (the “Company”) of our report dated 15 May, 2024, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of the Company appearing in its Annual Report on Form 20-F of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2023.
/s/ OneStop Assurance PAC
Singapore
27 September, 2024
Exhibit 23.3
Davis Commodities Limited
10 Bukit Batok Crescent, #10-01, The Spire
Singapore 658079
27 September 2024
Dear Sir/Madam,
We consent to the references to our firm in connection with the registration statement of Davis Commodities Limited (the "Company") on Form F-3, including all amendments or supplements thereto (the "Registration Statement"), filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on 27 September 2024 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. We also consent to the filing with the SEC of this consent letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
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 Securities Act of 1933, or under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, in each case, as amended, or the regulations promulgated thereunder.
Yours faithfully,
/s/ Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
Exhibit 107
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
F-3
(Form Type)
Davis Commodities Limited
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered Securities
| Fee | Proposed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Calculation | Maximum | Maximum | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Security | or Carry | Offering | Aggregate | Amount of | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Security | Class | Forward | Amount | Price Per | Offering | Registration | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Title | Rule | Registered(1) | Unit | Price | Fee Rate | Fee | |||||||||||||||||||
| Fees to Be Paid | Equity | Ordinary Shares, par value $0.000000430108 per share (2) | Rule 457(c) | 19,385,031 | $1.08 | (3) | $ | 20,935,833.48 | 0.00014760 | $ | 3,090.13 | |||||||||||||||
| Total Offering Amounts | $ | 20,935,833.48 | $ | 3,090.13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Fees Previously Paid | $ | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Fee Offset | $ | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net Fee Due | $ | 3,090.13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1) | Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement shall be deemed to cover any additional number of securities that may be issued from time to time to prevent dilution as a result of a distribution, split, combination, or similar transaction. Securities registered hereunder may be sold separately, or together with other securities registered hereunder. |
| (2) | As described in greater detail in the prospectus contained in this registration statement, the ordinary shares to be offered for resale by selling shareholders include an aggregate of 19,385,031 ordinary shares. |
| (3) | Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) promulgated under the Securities Act, based upon the average of the high ($1.11) and low ($1.05) prices of the ordinary shares as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market on September 23, 2024, which is a date within five business days prior to the filing date of this registration statement. |