UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 28, 2021
East Stone Acquisition Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| British Virgin Islands | 001-39233 | N/A | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
25 Mall Road, Suite 330
Burlington, MA 01803
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (781) 202 9128
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| Units, each consisting of one Ordinary Share, one Right and one Warrant | ESSCU | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
| Ordinary Shares, no par value | ESSC | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
| Rights, exchangeable into one-tenth of one Ordinary Share | ESSCR | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
| Warrants, each exercisable for one-half of one Ordinary Share, each whole Ordinary Share exercisable for $11.50 per share | ESSCW | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Item 3.01 Notice of Delisting or Failure to Satisfy a Continued Listing Rule or Standard; Transfer of Listing.
As previously disclosed in the Form 12b-25 filed on May 17, 2021 by East Stone Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”), on April 12, 2021, the staff (the “Staff”) of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued a statement entitled “Staff Statement on Accounting and Reporting Considerations for Warrants Issued by Special Purpose Acquisition Companies” (the “Staff Statement”). The Staff Statement, among other things, highlighted the potential accounting implications of certain terms that are common in warrants issued in connection with the initial public offerings of special purpose acquisition companies such as the Company. As a result of the Staff Statement, the Company required additional time to file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 (the “Form 10-Q”).
On May 28, 2021, the Company received a notice from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) (the “Notice”) stating that the Company is not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) (the “Rule”) because it has not timely filed the Form 10-Q with the SEC. The Rule requires listed companies to timely file all required periodic financial reports with the SEC. The Notice has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s securities. However, if the Company fails to timely regain compliance with the Rule, the Company’s securities will be subject to delisting from Nasdaq.
Under Nasdaq rules, the Company has 60 calendar days from receipt of the Notice (which is May 28, 2021), or until July 27, 2021, to submit a plan to regain compliance with the Rule. If Nasdaq accepts the Company's plan, then Nasdaq may grant an exception of up to 180 calendar days from the due date of the Form 10-Q (which is May 24, 2021), or until November 22, 2021, to regain compliance. However, there can be no assurance that Nasdaq will accept the Company's plan to regain compliance or that the Company will be able to regain compliance within any extension period granted by Nasdaq. If Nasdaq does not accept the Company’s plan, then the Company will have the opportunity to appeal that decision to a Nasdaq hearings panel.
As noted above, the Company is working diligently to complete its Form 10-Q. The Company intends to file the Form 10-Q as soon as practicable to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rule.
Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
On June 4, 2021, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company approved a change in fiscal year end of the Company from June 30 to December 31. The Board’s decision to change the fiscal year end better aligns the Company's fiscal year with the planning cycles of the Company.
The fiscal year change is effective beginning with the Company’s 2020 fiscal year, which ended on December 31, 2020. Consequently, the Company will file an Annual Report on Form 10-KT for the six-month period ended December 31, 2020 to cover such transition period.
Item 8.01 Other Events.
On June 4, 2021, the Company issued a press release announcing its receipt of the Notice. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
| Exhibit | ||
| Number | Title | |
| 99.1 | Press Release, dated June 4, 2021 |
1
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| East Stone Acquisition Corporation | |||
| Date: June 4, 2021 | By: | /s/ Xiaoma (Sherman) Lu | |
| Name: | Xiaoma (Sherman) Lu | ||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | ||
2
Exhibit 99.1
East Stone Acquisition Corporation Announces
Receipt of Notice from Nasdaq Regarding Late Filing of
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
Burlington, MA, June 4, 2021 – East Stone Acquisition Corporation (Nasdaq: ESSCU) (the “Company”) today announced that it has received a notice (“Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) as a result of its failure to file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 (the “Form 10-Q”) in a timely fashion. The Notice advised the Company that it was not in compliance with Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements under the timely filing criteria established in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1).
As reported by the Company in its Form 12b-25 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on May 17, 2021, the Company was unable to file its Form 10-Q within the prescribed time period without unreasonable effort or expense. The extension period provided under Rule 12b-25 expired on May 24, 2021. The Company was unable to meet the filing deadline for its Form 10-Q due to the Company’s conclusion that its outstanding warrants should be accounted for as a liability and the scope and process for updating the Company’s financial statements accordingly.
Nasdaq has informed the Company that, under Nasdaq rules, the Company will have 60 calendar days from the date of the Notice (which is May 28, 2021), or until July 27, 2021, to file its Form 10-Q with the SEC. The Company can regain compliance with Nasdaq listing standards during this sixty-day period when the Company files its Form 10-Q with the SEC. During the sixty-day period, Nasdaq will closely monitor the status of the Company’s late filing and related public disclosures. If the Company fails to file its Form 10-Q within such sixty-day period, Nasdaq may, in its sole discretion, allow the Company’s units, warrants and rights to trade for up to 180 days from the Form 10-Q’s filing due date (which is May 24, 2021), or until November 22, 2021 (an “Additional Period”), depending on specific circumstances, as outlined in the rule. If Nasdaq determines that an Additional Period is not appropriate, suspension and delisting procedures will commence pursuant to the Nasdaq Listing Rules. If Nasdaq determines that an Additional Period is appropriate and the Company fails to file its Form 10-Q and any subsequent delayed filings by the end of that period, suspension and delisting procedures will generally commence. Regardless of the procedures described above, Nasdaq may commence delisting proceedings at any time during the period that is available to complete the filing, if circumstances warrant.
As noted above, the Company is working diligently to complete its Form 10-Q. The Company intends to file the Form 10-Q as soon as practicable to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules.
No assurance can be given that the Company will be able to regain compliance with the aforementioned listing requirement or maintain compliance with the other continued listing requirements set forth in the Nasdaq Listing Rules.
About East Stone Acquisition Corporation
East Stone Acquisition Corporation is a blank check company incorporated as a British Virgin Islands business company and incorporated for the purpose of acquiring, engaging in a share exchange, share reconstruction and amalgamation with, purchasing all or substantially all of the assets of, entering into contractual arrangements with, or engaging in any other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. Although it is not limited to a particular industry or geographic region for purposes of consummating an initial business combination, the Company believes it is particularly well-positioned to capitalize on growing opportunities created by in the financial technology (fintech) space in North America and Asia-Pacific.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may include, and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may include, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements regarding possible business combinations and the financing thereof, and related matters, as well as all other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus for the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.
Contact:
East Stone Acquisition Corporation
Xiaoma (Sherman) Lu
25 Mall Road, Suite 330
Burlington, MA 01803
sherman@estonecapital.com