HWH International Inc. 10-K

Item 1. Business. General The Company was incorporated in Delaware on October 20, 2021 under the name Alset Capital Acquisition Corp. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). On February 3, 2022, the Company completed its Initial Public Offering. The Company consummated the Business Combination on January 9, 2024 and changed its name from “Alset Capital Acquisition Corp.” to “HWH International Inc.” The business we acquired in January of 2024 started in South Korea with a single-level membership marketing model with limited products for sale. We registered the business on April 1, 2019, and we started selling founders packages on July 1, 2019. While we had been profitable and growing, the COVID-19 pandemic had a material adverse effect on such growth and profits. We created a new corporate structure, with subsidiaries in the United States, Hong Kong and Singapore, that would allow for quick geographical expansion and turning our focus to the Hapi Café development. We have 9,811 individuals with founding member status. This is a privileged class that will be able to enjoy continuous membership benefits given that they have trusted the Company and joined at an early stage. Such benefits include the ability to purchase new future memberships, in the model described below, at a favorable rate to be determined by the Company. They will also continue to be able to earn affiliate commissions as they sell our products in the marketplace and enjoy discounted rates when visiting Hapi Cafés until further notice. The total number of founding members was capped at 10,000. The Company is in the midst of implementing a new membership model. While we are not currently selling memberships, we intend to resume membership sales under this new model. Members will get exclusive discounts on Hapi Marketplace products, priority invites to product launch events and other parties, and look to earn passive income through affiliate commissions at Hapi Marketplace. Our operations include: Hapi Marketplace, which offers certain products at a discounted price to our members. Hapi Marketplace, HWH’s online consumer marketplace, went live in September of 2024, and now offers over 6,500 products from manufacturers and wholesalers, including a wide range of items such as bathroom supplies, fashion products, accessories, cosmetics, and health supplements. Hapi Cafés, which are, and will be, in-person, location-based social experiences, offer members the opportunity to build a sense of community with like-minded customers who share a potential interest in our products. The cafes expose our members to and educate them about the products and services of our affiliates, providing us with the chance to significantly increase our membership base as well as increase the amounts spent by our members on our affiliates’ products and services. Each of our cafés is a “Hapi Café.” We opened proof-of-concept Hapi Café locations in Seoul, South Korea and Singapore in May 2022, July 2022 and April 2024, respectively, and plan to open additional Hapi Cafés as we beta test and further improve our business concept. We intend to grow our memberships as we grow the number of Hapi Cafés around the world. Hapi Cafe is positioned to be an integral part of HWH’s business model. Our travel business is in the planning stage as we are working with our affiliates to determine the market-by-market services. Through our travel business, we plan to offer exclusive access to unpublished rates and discounts on air travel, cruises, car rentals, hotels, and resorts for members. We have made a minority investment into a travel agency with a HK, China and Malaysia presence. The focus is primarily on educational tours for China’s primary and secondary school students visiting attractions and tours in China and overseas. We also conduct business for hotel booking offers to a hotel booking platform as well as organizing tour conferences for groups and communities. The Company shall continue develop consumer traveling services and hotel booking services in Asia. 4 Hapi Wealth Builder is in the planning stage as we are exploring the options of providing services to our members through financial informational materials aimed at various types of investing opportunities. The team has been diligently producing digital content for Hapi Wealth Builder and working to collaborate with the right partners to launch the program and make it available to members. We have completed a soft launch with Hapi Cafe China to build the credibility and reputation of the Company and its Hapi Wealth Builder business, which we intend to launch later in 2025. Market Opportunity Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe people are looking for in-person communities. By offering a social and business centric atmosphere at our Hapi Cafés, we plan to leverage this deeply-rooted desire and build a membership organization, increase their familiarity with and educate them about the products and services of our affiliates and how those products and services can help them in their own individual pursuits of health, wealth and happiness. Growth Strategy Our strategy is to continuously grow our membership base, while displaying to our members the added benefits of the higher tiers of membership. We will look to accomplish this by providing a comfortable in person setting of a Hapi Café for our customers in many more locations. We also plan to continually expand our product offerings and the services our affiliate companies can provide in the belief that this can serve to grow our membership base and have our members increasingly opt to avail themselves of membership options that offer them larger discounts and other benefits on the products and services of our affiliates. Nasdaq Deficiency On March 7, 2024, we received notice from Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (“Nasdaq”) indicating that, because the market value of our common stock had been below $50,000,000 for the prior 37 consecutive business days, we no longer complied with the minimum market value of listed securities (the “MVLS”) requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Market under Rule 5450(b)(2)(A) of Nasdaq Listing Rules. Nasdaq’s notice had no immediate effect on the listing of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market. Pursuant to Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5810(c)(3)(C), we had been provided an initial compliance period of 180 calendar days, or until September 3, 2024, to regain compliance with the MVLS requirement. To regain compliance, the Company’s MVLS was required to be at least $50,000,000 or more for a minimum of ten consecutive business days prior to September 3, 2024. In that regard, on September 9, 2024, the Company received a notice from the Staff that the matter of the MVLS deficiency was to be considered at the Company’s upcoming appeal with the Nasdaq Hearings Panel. 5 On February 22, 2024, the Nasdaq Staff (the “Staff”) notified the Company that for the previous 30 consecutive trading days, the MVPHS had been below the minimum $15,000,000 required for continued listing as set forth in Listing Rule 5450(b)(2)(C) (the “Rule”). Therefore, in accordance with Marketplace Rule 5810(c)(3)(D), the Company was provided 180 calendar days, or until August 20, 2024, to regain compliance with the Rule. In that regard, on August 27, 2024, the Company received a notice from the Staff that the Company will be delisted from the Nasdaq Global Market, unless the Company requested an appeal of this determination by September 3, 2024. The Company presented its compliance plan to the Panel at a hearing on October 15, 2024. On October 21, 2024, the Company received a notice from the Panel granting the Company an extension to phase down its securities to the Nasdaq Capital Market and demonstrate compliance with the market value of its publicly held shares (the “MVPHS”) and Stockholders’ Equity requirements as set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rules 5550(a)(5) and 5550(b)(1). On September 4, 2024, the Company received written notice (the “Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Staff of Nasdaq notifying the Company that for the prior 30 consecutive business days prior to the date of the Notice, the Company’s bid price was below the minimum $1 required for continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Market pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) (the “Bid Price Requirement”). In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), Nasdaq provided the Company with 180 calendar days, or until March 3, 2025, (the “Compliance Date”), to regain compliance with the Bid Price Requirement. On March 10, 2025, the Company received written notice (the “Compliance Notice”) from Nasdaq informing the Company that it has regained compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2), which requires that companies listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market maintain a minimum bid price of $1.00 per share. Nasdaq notified the Company in the Compliance Notice that, from February 24, 2025 to March 7, 2025, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock had been $1.00 per share or greater and, accordingly, the Company had regained compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) and that the matter was now closed. The Company is currently listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. On February 18, 2025, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Delaware Secretary of State to effect a 1-for-5 reverse stock split (the “Reverse Stock Split”). The Reverse Stock Split became effective as of market open on February 24, 2025. The par value of the common stock following the reverse stock split remains at $0.001 per share. The reverse stock split has been retroactively applied to all financial statements presented. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the total outstanding common shares of the Company were 5,593,920 and 2,000, respectively; the total outstanding class A common shares of the Company were 0 and 94,750, respectively; the total outstanding class B common shares of the Company were 0 and 431,250, respectively. Credit Facility On April 24, 2024, we entered into a Credit Facility Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with Alset Inc., a Texas corporation and the Company’s indirect, majority stockholder, pursuant to which Alset Inc. has provided the Company a line of credit facility (the “Credit Facility”), which provides a maximum, aggregate credit line of up to $1,000,000. As of December 31, 2024, $300,000 credit was used and $700,000 is available to use in the future. Pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Company may request an advance (each, an “Advance”) on the Credit Facility. Each Advance shall bear a simple interest rate of three percent (3%) per annum. Each Advance and all accrued but unpaid interest shall be due and payable at the first (1st) anniversary of the effective date of the Credit Agreement. HWH may at any time during the term of the Credit Agreement prepay a portion or all amounts of its indebtedness without penalty. Each advance shall not be secured by a lien or other encumbrance on any HWH assets, but shall be solely a general unsecured debt obligation of HWH. 6 Debt Conversion Agreements On September 24, 2024, HWH International Inc. entered into two debt conversion agreements with creditors (each an “Agreement,” or collectively, the “Agreements”): (i) Alset International Limited (the Company’s majority stockholder); and (ii) Alset Inc. (which is Alset International Limited’s majority stockholder). Each Agreement converts debt owed by the Company to the respective creditor into shares of the Company’s common stock. The Agreements are substantially the same with the exception of the amount of debt to be converted under each. Under the terms of their respective agreements, Alset Inc. converted $300,000 of the Company’s debt into 476,190 shares of the Company’s common stock, and Alset International Limited converted $3,501,759 of the Company’s debt into 5,558,347 shares of the Company’s common stock. Under the Agreements, the debt conversions resulted in the issuance of newly issued shares of the Company’s common stock. The debt conversion price was set at $0.63 per share. Cumulatively, the newly issued shares contemplated by the Agreements represent 6,034,537 new shares of the Company’s common stock, constituting an increase to the total issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock of 37.2% over the amount immediately preceding the effectiveness of the Agreements. The shares contemplated by the Agreements are restricted securities under the Securities Act of 1933, and shall be issued in reliance upon the safe harbor provided by Rule 506 of Regulation D. Stock Purchase Agreements On November 25, 2024, the Company entered into a stock purchase agreement with Alset Inc. (“AEI”), pursuant to which Alset Inc. agreed to purchase 4,411,764 shares of the Company’s common stock for a purchase price of $0.68 per share. AEI is the majority shareholder of the Company, and immediately prior to the effectiveness of the stock purchase agreement, AEI directly and through its subsidiaries owned 86.6% of the issued and outstanding shares of HWH common stock. On December 24, 2024, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with AEI, pursuant to which AEI agreed to purchase 1,300,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Shares”) for a total of $585,000, representing a purchase price of $0.45 per share. AEI is the majority shareholder of the Company. AEI’s investments are intended to support the growth and development of HWH. The Company believes that these investments of additional funds into HWH are in the best interests of each of AEI and the Company. Going Concern and Management’s Plan On January 9, 2024, the Company consummated the Business Combination (the “Closing”) contemplated by the previously announced Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of September 9, 2022 (the “Merger Agreement”). The Company’s common stock commenced trading on the Nasdaq Global Market LLC under the ticker symbol “HWH” on January 9, 2024, and the Company’s warrants are expected to commence trading at a later date. The Company has incurred continuing losses from its operations and has a working capital deficit of $2,163,723 as of December 31, 2024. There are no assurances the Company will be able to raise capital on acceptable terms or that cash flows generated from its operations will be sufficient to meet its current operating costs. If the Company is unable to obtain sufficient amounts of additional capital, it may be required to reduce the scope of its business, which could harm its financial condition and operating results. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue ongoing operations. However, the Company believes that the available cash in the Company’s bank accounts, anticipated cash from operations, and financing availability from related parties are sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months. On April 24, 2024, the Company entered into a Credit Facility Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Alset Inc., a Texas corporation and the Company’s indirect, majority stockholder, pursuant to which Alset Inc. has provided the Company a line of credit facility (the “Credit Facility”) which provides a maximum, aggregate credit line of up to $1,000,000. As of December 31, 2024, there are no outstanding amounts related to the Credit Facility, as the debt with Alset Inc. was converted to equity on September 24, 2024. The remaining credit of $700,000 is available for draw as on December 31, 2024. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Company may request an advance (each, an “Advance”) on the Credit Facility. Each advance shall bear a simple interest rate of three percent (3%) per annum. Each Advance and all accrued but unpaid interest shall be due and payable at the first (1st) anniversary of the effective date of the Agreement. HWH may at any time during the term of the Agreement prepay a portion or all amounts of its indebtedness without penalty. Each Advance shall not be secured by a lien or other encumbrance on any HWH assets, but shall be solely a general unsecured debt obligation of the Company. The Company has obtained letters of financial support from Alset International Limited and Alset Inc., an indirect and direct owner of the Company, respectively. Alset International Limited and Alset Inc. committed to provide any additional funding required by the Company and would not demand repayment through twelve months from the issuance of these consolidated financial statements. 7 Our Organizational Chart: Employees At the present time, the Company has 16 employees. The Company had an agreement with Alset Management Group, Inc., pursuant to which, for a fee, Alset Management Group, Inc. provided the Company with secretarial and administrative services. This agreement expired at the time of closing of Business Combination. Intellectual Property We anticipate filing additional trademark applications as we expand into new areas of business. Corporate Information Our mailing address is 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 210, Bethesda, MD, 20814. We were incorporated in Delaware on October 20, 2021 under the name Alset Capital Acquisition Corp. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies. Additional Information The Company is subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act, and, in accordance therewith, files annual, quarterly, and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”). The Commission maintains an internet website at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the Commission. The periodic reports, proxy statements and other information that the Company files with the Commission are available for inspection on the Commission’s website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the Commission. The Company maintains a website at https://www.hwhintl.com where you may also access these materials free of charge. We have included our website address as an inactive textual reference only and the information contained in, and that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated into and is not part of this report on Form 10-K. 8 Item 1A. Risk Factors. Not applicable to smaller reporting companies.