Note 23 - Share-based Compensation Expenses

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Notes to Financial Statements

Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Text Block]

23. Share-based compensation expenses

In  March 2022, under its 2020 Omnibus Securities and Incentive Plan, the Company granted and issued an aggregate of 0.019 million fully-vested shares of the Company’s restricted common stock to two of the Company’s executive officers in exchange for their services to the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022. These shares were valued at the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock on the respective date of grant. Total compensation expenses recognized was approximately US$0.06 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

In June 2022, the Company granted and issued 0.08 million fully-vested and non-forfeitable shares of the Company restricted common stock to a management consulting and advisory service provider in exchange for its service for a 12-month period until May 2023. The Company valued these shares at US$1.75 per share, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date of these shares and recorded the related total cost of approximately US$0.14 million as a prepayment asset in prepayment and deposit to suppliers account upon the grant and issuance of these shares. Total compensation expenses amortized was approximately US$0.08 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

In May 2021, under its 2020 Omnibus Securities and Incentive Plan, the Company granted and issued 0.797 million fully-vested shares of the Company’s restricted common stock to its management and employees for their services provided to the Company. These shares were valued at the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, which was US$8.35 per share. Total compensation expenses recognized was approximately US$6.66 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.

In March 2021, the Company granted and issued 0.006 million shares of the Company’s restricted common stock to one of its independent directors, in exchange for his services to the Company. The shares issued were valued at US$15.65 per share, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. Total compensation expenses of approximately US$0.09 million was recorded for the years ended December 31, 2021.

For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company amortized an approximately US$0.04 million and US$0.24 million compensation expense, respectively, which was related to fully-vested and nonforfeitable restricted common stock granted and issued to one of its service providers in March 2020 for a 24-month period until February 2022.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company also amortized an approximately US$0.04 million compensation expense, which was related to fully-vested and nonforfeitable restricted common stock granted and issued to another service provider of the Company in August 2020 for a 12-month period until July 2021.

The table below summarized share-based compensation expenses recorded for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2022		2021
	US$(’000)		US$(’000)
Sales and marketing expenses		-		-
General and administrative expenses		186		7,028
Research and development expenses		-		-
Total		186		7,028

The aggregate unrecognized share-based compensation expenses as of December 31, 2022 was approximately US$0.06 million, which will be recognized for the year ending December 31, 2023.

**The numbers of restricted common stock and the related stock prices discussed in this note have been retroactively restated for effect of the 1-for-5 reverse stock split on January 18, 2023, see Note 4(l).