10-K/A 1 v149059_10ka.htm Unassociated Document


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 10-K/A
Amendment No. 1
 
x
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the fiscal year ended: June 30, 2008

OR

¨
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from __________ to ____________
 
Commission File Number: 000-51908
 
SUTOR TECHNOLOGY GROUP LIMITED
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Nevada
87-0578370
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

No 8, Huaye Road, Dongbang Industrial Park
Changshu, China, 215534

(Address of principal executive office and zip code)
 
(86) 512-52680988
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Common Stock, par value $0.0001
 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ¨ No x

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ¨ No x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Yes x No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).
Yes ¨ No ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. x
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
 
Large accelerated filer ¨
  
Accelerated filer ¨
  
Non-accelerated filer ¨
  
Smaller reporting company x
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).
 
Yes ¨ No x
 
As of December 31, 2007, the aggregate market value of the shares of the Registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates (based upon the closing price of such shares as reported on the Nasdaq) was approximately $32 million. Shares of the Registrant’s common stock held by each executive officer and director and each by each person who owns 10 percent or more of the outstanding common stock have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliates of the Registrant. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.
 
As of September 26, 2008, there were 37,955,602 shares of the Registrant’s common stock outstanding.
 
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:
 
None.

 
 

 

Explanatory Note
 
This Amendment No. 1 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008 of Sutor Technology Group Limited (the “Company”) is being filed to (i) correct a clerical error with respect to the titles held by our Chief Financial Officer, Yongfei Jiang, and (ii) correct disclosure regarding compensation paid to our independent directors during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008.

In disclosure made in Part III, Item 10 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008, filed with the SEC on September 26, 2008 (the “Original Filing”), the Company mistakenly identified Mr. Jiang as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors.  Similarly, the signature page to the Original Filing also identified Mr. Jiang as a Director, when in fact he only signed the Original Filing in his capacity as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer).

In the table under the heading “Director Compensation – 2008” of the Original Filing, the Company mistakenly disclosed the total annual director compensation as agreed to with each of its independent directors as opposed to compensation actually earned during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008.  This for 10-K/A correctly states the compensation actually earned by each of our independent directors from February 2008, when they each began their service on the Company’s board of directors, through June 30, 2008.

For purposes of this Form 10-K/A, and in accordance with Rule 12b-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, each item of the Original Filing that was affected by the restatement has been amended and restated in its entirety.  Unless otherwise indicated, this report speaks only as of the date of the Original Filing.  No attempt has been made in this Form 10-K/A to update other disclosures presented in the Original Filing.  This Form 10-K/A does not reflect events occurring after the date of the Original Filing or modify or update those disclosures, including the exhibits to Original Filing affected by subsequent events; however, this Form 10-K/A includes as exhibits 31.1, 31.2, 32.1 and 32.2 new certifications by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

 
 

 

PART III

ITEM 10.
DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
  
Directors and Executive Officers
 
The following sets forth the name and position of each of our current executive officers and directors.
 
Name
 
Age
 
Position
         
Lifang Chen
 
36
 
Chairman of the board of directors, Chief Executive Officer and President
         
Yongfei Jiang
 
30
 
Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary
         
Xun Zhang
 
38
 
Chief Technology Officer
         
Carl Mudd
 
64
 
Director
         
Guoyou Shao
 
58
 
Director
         
Xinchuang Li
 
44
 
Director

Lifang Chen. Ms. Chen became our Chairman on February 1, 2007 and our chief executive officer and president in May 2008. She has been the Chairman of our subsidiary Sutor BVI since August 2007. Since June 2001, Ms. Chen has also served as the Vice President of Shanghai Huaye. From September 1993 to May 2001, Ms. Chen served as the director of the civil administrative bureau of Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou city. She has extensive experience in enterprise management and received a doctorate degree in Business Management from Century University of America in 2004.

Yongfei Jiang. Mr. Jiang became our Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary on February 1, 2007, and has been the Chief Financial Officer of Changshu Huaye since 2005. From 2002 to 2005, Mr. Jiang served as the finance manager of Guangzhou Huaye Trading Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Shanghai Huaye, where he was responsible for the financial and capital management. From 1999 to 2002, Mr. Jiang worked as the finance manager at Zhejiang Guotai Seal Material Co. Ltd., an equipment manufacturer. Mr. Jiang has 8 years of experience in corporate accounting and finance. He has a MBA from Hong Kong Industrial and Commercial College.

Xun Zhang. Mr. Zhang became our Chief Technology Officer on June 18, 2007. Prior to his appointment as our Chief Technology Officer, Mr. Zhang had worked as our Chief Project Engineer since April 2005. He was responsible for the bidding, design examination, assembling and testing of the acid pickling, acid regeneration and cold-rolled steel production lines of our subsidiary Jiangsu Cold-Rolled. He was also responsible for the drafting of technical procedure of various production lines and staff training. From 1995 to 2005, he worked as the Deputy Chief Engineer at the project department of Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. Mr. Zhang has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Huanzhong University of Science and Technology.
 
A. Carl Mudd. Mr. Mudd has served as our directors since February 2008. Mr. Mudd has extensive operational and financial management experience in domestic and international, multi-location, manufacturing, distribution and retail businesses, both publicly held and privately owned. He has spent the past 15 years consulting with and mentoring CEOs and Boards of Directors of major companies on global strategy, business processes and international operations, including six years based in Hong Kong with clients in the PRC, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Mr. Mudd is currently the Chairman of the Audit Committee of Shengda Tech, Inc., a NASDAQ listed publicly traded manufacturer and supplier of nano precipitated carbonated calcium for tires, plastics, paints and papers in China. Mr. Mudd is a Certified Public Accountant, holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration - Accounting, from St. Edward’s University and recently was awarded a Certificate of Director Education by The NACD Corporate Directors Institute.

 
 

 

Guoyou Shao.  Mr. Shao has served as our director since February 2008. Since April 2003, Mr. Shao has served as Board Chairman of Fortis Haitong Investment Management Co., Ltd., one of the first sino-foreign joint ventures specializing in fund management to gain approval in China Prior to this, Mr. Shao served as Manager of the Investor Relations Department of Haitong Securities Co. Ltd. since July 1998. Mr. Shao has extensive securities investment and asset management experience and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Hong Kong Science Management Institute.
 
Xinchuang Li. Mr. Li became our director in February 2008. Since 2008 Mr. Li has served as the Executive Director of China Metallurgical Industry Planning & Research Institute (CMIPRI) in Beijing. From 2002 to 2008, Mr. Li served as the Vice Director and Chief Engineer of CMIPRI. From 1998 to 2002, Mr. Li served as the Vice-Chief Engineer of CMIPRI. Mr. Li has significant experience in the operations of companies engaged in steel production with a particular focus and specialization in the operations, planning and strategic focus of companies operating in the Chinese steel industry. Mr. Li holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Fordham University and Beijing University.
 
There are no agreements or understandings for any of our executive officers or director to resign at the request of another person and no officer or director is acting on behalf of nor will any of them act at the direction of any other person.

Directors are elected until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

Board Composition and Committees
 
Our board of directors is comprised of Lifang Chen, Carl Mudd, Guoyou Shao, and Xinchuang Li. Carl Mudd, Guoyou Shao, and Xinchuang Li each serve on our board of directors as an “independent director” as defined by Rule 4200(a)(15) of the Marketplace Rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., or the “Nasdaq Marketplace Rules.” The board of directors has determined that Carl Mudd possesses the accounting or related financial management experience that qualifies him as financially sophisticated within the meaning of Rule 4350(d)(2)(A) of the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules and that he is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the rules and regulations of the SEC.

Our board of directors currently has three standing committees which perform various duties on behalf of and report to the board of directors: (i) audit committee, (ii) compensation committee and (iii) governance and nominating committee. Each of the three standing committees is comprised entirely of independent directors. From time to time, the board of directors may establish other committees.

Audit Committee

Our board of directors established an audit committee in February 2008. Our audit committee consists of three members: Carl Mudd, Guoyou Shao, and Xinchuang Li, each of whom is “independent” as that term is defined under the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. Our audit committee oversees our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the financial statements of our company. Mr. Mudd serves as our audit committee financial expert as that term is defined by the applicable SEC rules.

Our audit committee is responsible for, among other things:

·
selecting our independent auditors and pre-approving all auditing and non-auditing services permitted to be performed by our independent auditors;
·
reviewing with our independent auditors any audit problems or difficulties and management’s response;
·
reviewing and approving all proposed related-party transactions, as defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

 
 

 

·
discussing the annual audited financial statements with management and our independent auditors;
·
reviewing major issues as to the adequacy of our internal controls and any special audit steps adopted in light of significant internal control deficiencies;
·
annually reviewing and reassessing the adequacy of our audit committee charter;
·
such other matters that are specifically delegated to our audit committee by our board of directors from time to time;
·
meeting separately and periodically with management and our internal and independent auditors; and
·
reporting regularly to the full board of directors.

Compensation Committee

Our board of directors established a compensation committee in February 2008. Our compensation committee consists of three members: Carl Mudd, Guoyou Shao, and Xinchuang Li, each of whom is “independent” as that term is defined under the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. Mr. Shao serves as the chairman of our compensation committee. Our compensation committee assists the board of directors in reviewing and approving the compensation structure of our directors and executive officers, including all forms of compensation to be provided to our directors and executive officers. Our Chief Executive Officer may not be present at any meeting of our compensation committee during which her compensation is deliberated.

·
Our compensation committee is responsible for, among other things:
·
approving and overseeing the compensation package for our executive officers;
·
reviewing and approving corporate goals and objectives relevant to the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer,
·
evaluating the performance of our Chief Executive Officer in light of those goals and objectives, and setting the compensation level of our Chief Executive Officer based on this evaluation; and
·
reviewing periodically and making recommendations to the board of directors regarding any long-term incentive compensation or equity plans, programs or similar arrangements, annual bonuses, employee pension and welfare benefit plans.
 
Governance and Nominating Committee

Our board of directors established a governance and nominating committee in February 2008. Our governance and nominating committee consists of three members: Carl Mudd, Guoyou Shao, and Xinchuang Li, each of whom is “independent” as that term is defined under the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. Mr. Li serves as the chairman to our governance and nominating committee. The governance and nominating committee assists the board of directors in identifying individuals qualified to become our directors and in determining the composition of the board of directors and its committees.

Our governance and nominating committee is responsible for, among other things:

·
identifying and recommending to the board of directors nominees for election or re-election to the board of directors, or for appointment to fill any vacancy;
·
reviewing annually with the board of directors the current composition of the board of directors in light of the characteristics of independence, age, skills, experience and availability of service to us; and
We recognize that transactions between us and any of our directors or executive officers can present potential or actual conflicts of interest and create the appearance that our decisions are based on considerations other than the best interests of our stockholders.

Family Relationships

There are no family relationships among our directors or officers.

 
 

 

Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings

To the best of our knowledge, none of our directors or executive officers has been convicted in a criminal proceeding, excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors, or has been a party to any judicial or administrative proceeding during the past five years that resulted in a judgment, decree or final order enjoining the person from future violations of, or prohibiting activities subject to, federal or state securities laws, or a finding of any violation of federal or state securities laws, except for matters that were dismissed without sanction or settlement. Except as set forth in our discussion below in “Transactions with Related Persons, Promoters and Certain Control Persons; Corporate Governance,” none of our directors, director nominees or executive officers has been involved in any transactions with us or any of our directors, executive officers, affiliates or associates which are required to be disclosed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.

Section 16(A) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Under U.S. securities laws, directors, certain executive officers and persons holding more than 10% of our common stock must report their initial ownership of the common stock, and any changes in that ownership, to the SEC.  The SEC has designated specific due dates for these reports. Based solely on our review of copies of such reports filed with the SEC by and written representations of our sole director and executive offers, we believe that our directors and executive offers filed the required reports on time in 2008 fiscal year.

Code of Ethics
 
On January 31, 2007, our board of directors adopted a new code of ethics that applies to all of our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. The new code replaces our prior code of ethics that applied only to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller and any person who performed similar functions, and addresses, among other things, honesty and ethical conduct, conflicts of interest, compliance with laws, regulations and policies, including disclosure requirements under the federal securities laws, confidentiality, trading on inside information, and reporting of violations of the code.  A copy of the Code of Ethics has been filed as Exhibit 14 to our current report on Form 8-K, filed on February 2, 2007.

ITEM 11.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth information concerning all compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our Chief Executive Officer for services during the last two fiscal years in all capacities to us, our subsidiaries and predecessors. No other executive officer received compensation of $100,000 or more for the year ended June 30, 2008.
 
Name and Principal
Position
 
Year
 
Salary
($)
   
Bonus
($)
   
Stock
Awards
($)
   
Total
($)
 
Lifang Chen, CEO*
 
2008
    -       -       -       -  
   
2007
    -       -       -       -  
Liuhua Guo, former CEO*
 
2008
    88,568       -       -       88,568  
   
2007
    70,424       -       -       70,424  
* Mr. Guo resigned as our CEO in May 2008 and Ms. Chen was appointed as a replacement to Mr. Guo.

Employment Contracts

Currently, we do not have an employment agreement with our CEO, Ms. Lifang Chen.

 
 

 

Retirement Benefits

Currently, we do not provide any employees, including our named executive officers any company sponsored retirement benefits other than a state pension scheme in which all of our employees in China participate.

Payment Upon Termination or Change-in Control
 
The Company does not have change-in-control arrangements with any of its executive officers, and the Company is not obligated to pay severance or other enhanced benefits to executive officers upon termination of their employment.

Director Compensation - 2008

The following table sets forth information concerning all compensation paid to our non-employee directors for services rendered in all capacities for the year ended June 30, 2008.
 
Name
 
Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash ($)
 
Total Compensation ($)
 
Carl Mudd
   
32,500
 
32,500
 
Guoyou Shao
   
8,572
 
8,572
 
Xinchuang Li
   
8,572
 
8,572
 

In February 2008, we entered into agreements with each of the independent directors. Under the terms of the agreements, Mr. Mudd is entitled to $65,000, Mr. Shao is entitled to RMB 120,000 (approximately $17,143) and Mr. Li is entitled to RMB 120,000 (approximately $17,143) as annual compensation for their service as independent directors, and as chairpersons of various board committees, as applicable. Mr. Mudd’s compensation is greater because he has greater responsibilities as the Audit Committee Chairman. Under the terms of the agreements, the independent directors are entitled to indemnification for expenses, judgments, fines, penalties or other amounts actually and reasonably incurred by the independent directors in connection with any proceeding if the independent director acted in good faith and in our best interests. The Company also reimburses our directors for reasonable travel expenses related to attendance at board and committee meetings.

Additionally, on February 4, 2008, we entered into Indemnification Agreements with each of Messrs. Mudd, Shao and Li.  Under the terms of these Indemnification Agreements, the Company agreed to indemnify the independent directors against expenses, judgments, fines, penalties or other amounts actually and reasonably incurred by the independent directors in connection with any proceeding (other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company) if the independent director acted in good faith and in the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the independent director’s conduct was unlawful.  The Company also agreed to pay any such expenses to an independent director in advance of the final disposition of any such proceeding if the director agrees to repay such amount to the extent it is ultimately determined they are not entitled to indemnification; provided, however, that the Company is not obligated to make any such advance payment if the board of directors determines, in its sole discretion, that it does not appear that such director has met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under applicable law to indemnify such director, and that the advancement of expenses would not be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

Limitation of Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
 
Our bylaws provide for the indemnification of our present and prior directors and officers or any person who may have served at our request as a director or officer of another corporation in which we own shares of capital stock or of which we are a creditor, against expenses actually and necessarily incurred by them in connection with the defense of any actions, suits or proceedings in which they, or any of them, are made parties, or a party, by reason of being or having been director(s) or officer(s) of us or of such other corporation, in the absence of negligence or misconduct in the performance of their duties. This indemnification policy could result in substantial expenditure by us, which we may be unable to recoup.

 
 

 
 
Insofar as indemnification by us for liabilities arising under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to provisions of the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification by such director, officer or controlling person of us 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 offered, we will, unless in the opinion of our counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by us is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
 
At the present time, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a director, officer, employee or other agent of ours in which indemnification would be required or permitted. We are not aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding which may result in a claim for such indemnification.

 
 

 

SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
 
SUTOR TECHNOLOGY GROUP LIMITED
   
 
By:
/s/ Lifang Chen
   
Lifang Chen
   
Chief Executive Officer
     
   
Date: May 13, 2009
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Company in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 
Each person whose signature appears below hereby authorizes Lifang Chen as attorney-in-fact to sign on his behalf, individually, and in each capacity stated below, and to file all amendments and/or supplements to this annual report on Form 10-K.
 
Signature
 
Capacity
 
Date
         
/s/ Lifang Chen
 
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive
 
May 13, 2009
Lifang Chen
 
Officer)
   
         
/s/ Yongfei Jiang
 
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer
 
May 13, 2009
Yongfei Jiang
 
and Principal Accounting Officer)
   
         
/s/ Carl Mudd
       
Carl Mudd
 
Director
 
May 13, 2009
         
/s/ Guoyou Shao
       
Guoyou Shao
 
Director
 
May 13, 2009
         
/s/ Xinchuang Li
       
Xinchuang Li
 
Director
 
May 13, 2009