Lithium & Boron Technology, Inc. - Annual Report: 2017 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K 

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.

OR

For the transition period from          to

Commission file number 001-34246

SMARTHEAT INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

A-1, 10, Street 7

Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone

Shenyang, China 110141

(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

+86 (24) 2519-7699

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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  ☑

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  ☑

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, as amended (“Exchange Act”) 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  ☑                      No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit 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.

 Yes ☐                       No  ☑

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or, an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company”, and “emerging growth company”, in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

Yes  ☐                      No  ☑

The aggregate market value of voting common stock held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common stock was last sold on June 30, 2016, was $0.0001 per share. Accordingly, effective as of June 30, 2017, the registrant’s aggregate market value was less than $50 million and the registrant qualifies for “smaller reporting company” status under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and is subject to the disclosure requirements and filing deadlines for smaller reporting companies.

As of November 16, 2018, there were 8,683,399 shares of common stock outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:

None

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

In this Annual Report on Form 10-K, references to “SmartHeat,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” and words of similar import refer to SmartHeat Inc., unless the context requires otherwise.

This Annual Report contains 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.  In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time the statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this report. These factors include, among others:

●our ability to raise capital;

●our ability to identify suitable acquisition targets;

●our ability to successfully execute acquisitions on favorable terms;

●declines in general economic conditions in the markets where we may compete;

●unknown liabilities associated with any companies we may acquire; and

●significant competition in the markets where we may operate.

You should read any other cautionary statements made in this Annual Report as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear in this Annual Report. We cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report will prove to be accurate and therefore prospective investors are encouraged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. You should read this Annual Report completely. Other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, even though our situation may change in the future.

Additional information on the various risks and uncertainties potentially affecting our operating results are discussed in this report and other documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, or upon written request to our corporate secretary at: A-1, 10, Street 7, Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang, China 110141. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Our functional currency is the U.S. Dollar, or USD, while the functional currency of our subsidiaries in China are denominated in Chinese Yuan Renminbi, or RMB, the national currency of the People’s Republic of China, which we refer to as the PRC or China, and the functional currency of our subsidiary in Germany is denominated in Euros, or EUR. The functional currencies of our foreign operations are translated into USD for balance sheet accounts using the current exchange rates in effect as of the balance sheet date and for revenue and expense accounts using the average exchange rate during the fiscal year. See Note 2 of the consolidated financial statements included here

PART I

Item 1. Business

General

SmartHeat Inc., formerly known as Pacific Goldrim Resources, Inc. (the “Company” or “SmartHeat”), was incorporated on August 4, 2006, in the State of Nevada and at that time had little or no operations. On April 14, 2008 we changed our name to SmartHeat Inc. and acquired all of the equity interests in Taiyu, at that time a leading developer of plate heat exchangers (“PHEs”) and PHE Units in China.  Taiyu was formed in July 2002 under the laws of China and is headquartered in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, China.  The Company, through its operating subsidiaries in China and Germany, formerly designed, manufactured, sold PHEs , PHE Units, temperature sensors, valves and automated control systems, heat meters and heat pumps for use in commercial and residential buildings until the sale of certain of its subsidiaries effective December 31, 2014.  From that time until the year ended 2016, we have primarily been engaged in the design and manufacturing of heat pumps for commercial applications through our principal operating subsidiary SmartHeat (Shenyang) Heat Pump Technology Co., Ltd.  (“SmartHeat Pump”). At that time the subsidiaries of SmartHeat Pump in China began the process of seeking bankruptcy protection and it primary operations became making arrangements with the Chinese government for the orderly winding down and liquidation of the business.

We have made the determination that our heat pump business cannot continue without incurring significant losses. As a result, our subsidiary SmartHeat Pump filed for bankruptcy protection with the relevant authorities in the PRC.  Prior to making such filing, SmartHeat Pump is required to make provisions to make payments to its employees and satisfy certain warranty requirements.  SmartHeat Pump’s business operations consist primarily of the foregoing activities, collecting receivables and selling inventory. 

We are still servicing existing customers who have purchased our plated heat exchanges “PHE”s through our subsidiary Heat PHE and are selling existing inventory and raw materials. We are in the process of winding down this business segment as well.

We are not actively selling new products or seeking new customers.

We are currently seeking potential assets, property or businesses to acquire, in a business combination, by reorganization, merger or acquisition.   Our plan of operation for the next 12 months is to: (i) consider guidelines of industries in which we may have an interest; (ii) adopt a business plan regarding engaging in the business of any selected industry; and (iii) to commence operations through funding and/or the acquisition or business combination with a “going concern” engaged in any industry selected.  We are unable to predict the time as to when and if we may actually participate in any specific business endeavor, and we will be unable to do so until we determine any particular industry in which we may conduct business operations.

We are not currently engaged in any substantive business activity except the search for potential assets, property or businesses to acquire, and we have no current plans to engage in any other activity in the foreseeable future unless and until we complete any such acquisition.  We are evaluating our status each quarter to determine if we are a “shell company.”   We do not intend to restrict our search for business opportunities to any business or industry, and the areas in which we will seek out business opportunities may include all lawful businesses.  We recognize that the number of suitable potential business ventures that may be available to us will be extremely limited, and may be restricted to businesses or entities that desire to become a publicly-held company.

Any of these types of business combination transactions, regardless of the particular prospect, would require us to issue a substantial number of shares of our common stock that could amount to as much as 95% or more of our outstanding voting securities; accordingly, investments in the private enterprise, if available, would be much more favorable than any investment in us.

Management intends to consider a number of factors prior to making any decision to participate in any specific business endeavor, none of which may be determinative or provide any assurance of success.  These may include, but will not be limited to, as applicable, an analysis of the quality of the particular business or entity’s management and personnel; the anticipated acceptability of any new products or marketing concepts that any such business or company may have; the merits of any such business’ or company’s technology or intellectual property; the present financial condition, projected growth potential and available technical, financial and managerial resources; working capital, history of operations and future prospects; the nature of present and expected competition; the quality and experience of any such business’ or company’s management services and the depth of management; the business’ or the company’s potential for further research, development or exploration; risk factors specifically related to the business’ or company’s operations; the potential for growth, expansion and profit; the perceived public recognition or acceptance of products, or services offered and trademarks and name identification; and numerous other factors that are difficult, if not impossible, to properly or accurately quantify or analyze, let alone describe or identify, without referring to specific objective criteria of an identified business or company.

Regardless, the results of operations of any specific entity may not necessarily be indicative of what may occur in the future, by reason of changing market strategies, plant or product expansion, changes in product emphasis, future management personnel and changes in innumerable other factors.  Further, in the case of a new business venture or one that is in a research and development mode, the risks will be substantial, and there will be no objective criteria to examine the effectiveness or the abilities of its management or its business objectives.  Also, a firm market for its products or services may yet need to be established, and with no past track record, the profitability of any such business will be unproven and cannot be predicted with any certainty.

Our management will attempt to meet personally with management and key personnel of any entity providing a potential business opportunity for us, visit and inspect material facilities, obtain independent analysis or verification of information provided and gathered, check references of material personnel and conduct other reasonably prudent measures calculated to ensure a reasonably thorough review of any particular business opportunity; however, due to time constraints of management and limited capital, these activities may be limited. 

We are unable to predict the time as to when and if we may participate in any specific business endeavor or if at all.  We anticipate that proposed business ventures will be made available to us through personal contacts of directors, executive officers and principal stockholders, professional advisors, broker dealers in securities, venture capital personnel and others who may present unsolicited proposals.  In certain cases, we may agree to pay a finder’s fee or to otherwise compensate the persons who submit a potential business endeavor in which we eventually participate. Such persons may include our directors, executive officers and beneficial owners of our securities or their affiliates. In this event, such fees may become a factor in negotiations regarding any potential venture and, accordingly, may present a conflict of interest for such individuals.  Management does not presently intend to acquire an interest in any business enterprise in which any member has an ownership interest.

Our History

We were incorporated in the State of Nevada on August 4, 2006, under the name Pacific Goldrim Resources, Inc., as an exploration stage corporation with minimal operations, to engage in the exploration for silver, lead and zinc. On April 14, 2008, we changed our name to SmartHeat Inc. and entered into a Share Exchange Agreement (the “Share Exchange Agreement”), to acquire Shenyang Taiyu Machinery & Electronic Equipment Co., Ltd., subsequently renamed SmartHeat Taiyu (Shenyang) Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (“Taiyu”), a privately held Sino-foreign joint venture company formed under the laws of the PRC on July 24, 2002, and engaged in the design, manufacture, sale and service of PHE products in China. The Share Exchange Agreement was entered into by SmartHeat, Taiyu and the shareholders of Taiyu. At the closing of the Share Exchange Agreement, all of the equitable and legal rights, title and interests in and to Taiyu’s share capital of Yuan 25,000,000 were exchanged for 1,850,000 shares of SmartHeat common stock (the “Share Exchange”). We received PRC government approval on May 28, 2008, of our subscription for 71.6% of the registered capital of Taiyu, and approval on June 3, 2009, of the transfer of the remaining 28.4% ownership of Taiyu from the original joint venture shareholders who had received shares of our common stock in the Share Exchange. As a result of the Share Exchange and subsequent transactions contemplated by the Share Exchange Agreement, and receipt of the above PRC government approvals, Taiyu became our wholly foreign-owned enterprise, or WFOE.

Prior to our acquisition of Taiyu, we had no interest in any property, but had the right to conduct exploration activities on 13 mineral title cells covering 27,027 hectares (66,785 acres) in the Slocan Mining Division of southeastern British Columbia, Canada. In connection with the acquisition of Taiyu, we transferred all of our pre-closing assets and liabilities (other than the obligation to pay a $10,000 fee to our audit firm) to a wholly owned subsidiary, PGR Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“SplitCo”), under the terms of an Agreement of Conveyance, Transfer and Assignment of Assets and Assumption of Obligations dated April 14, 2008. We sold all of the outstanding capital stock of SplitCo to Jason Schlombs, our former director and officer and one of our major shareholders, pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement dated April 14, 2008, in exchange for the return of his 250,000 shares of our common stock to us for cancellation.

As an expansion of our business following our acquisition of Taiyu, we acquired and established strategic subsidiaries in China and Germany. On September 25, 2008, we acquired SanDeKe Co., Ltd., or SanDeKe, a Shanghai-based manufacturer of PHEs. On June 16, 2009, we completed an asset purchase transaction with Siping Beifang Heat Exchanger Manufacture Co., Ltd., or Siping Beifang, to set up a new manufacturing facility under our newly incorporated subsidiary, SmartHeat Siping Beifang Energy Technology Co., Ltd., or SmartHeat Siping. On August 14, 2009, we formed Beijing SmartHeat Jinhui Energy Technology Co., Ltd., or Jinhui, a joint venture in Beijing of which we own 52%, to provide consulting services and expand our sales of PHEs into new industries and regions of China. On April 7, 2010, we formed SmartHeat (China) Investment Co., Ltd., or SmartHeat Investment, as an investment holding company in Shenyang for our investment in and establishment of new companies and businesses in China. On April 12, 2010, SmartHeat Investment formed SmartHeat (Shenyang) Energy Equipment Co., Ltd., or SmartHeat Energy, as its wholly owned subsidiary for the research, development, manufacturing and sales of energy products. On May 6, 2010, we formed SmartHeat (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd., or SmartHeat Trading, through a nominee, Cleantech Holdings Inc., a British Virgin Islands company, or Cleantech Holdings, to market and expand sales of our branded products in China. Effective as of November 9, 2011, we terminated the nominee-owner relationship and acquired direct control over SmartHeat Trading. On December 2, 2010, we formed Hohhot Ruicheng Technology Co., Ltd., or Ruicheng, a joint venture in Hohhot City, China, for the design and manufacture of heat meters, of which we acquired 51% of the equity interest on January 7, 2011. On March 1, 2011, we entered into a purchase agreement to acquire 95% of the equity interests in Shenyang Bingchuan Refrigerating Machine Limited Company, a Shenyang-based state-owned heat pump manufacturer and designer subsequently renamed SmartHeat (Shenyang) Heat Pump Technology Co., Ltd., or SmartHeat Pump. On November 1, 2011, we increased the registered capital of SmartHeat Pump and thereby increased our ownership percentage to 98.8%. On March 3, 2011, we completed the acquisition of Gustrower Warmepumpen GmbH, subsequently renamed SmartHeat Deutschland GmbH, or SmartHeat Germany, a designer and manufacturer of high efficiency heat pumps in Germany, to extend our clean technology heating solutions into the rapidly growing heat pump markets in Europe and China. We subsequently transferred ownership of SmartHeat Germany to SmartHeat Pump. On April 10, 2012, we established a new joint venture named Urumchi XinRui Technology Limited Liability Company (“XinRui”), of which we own 46%

On December 30, 2013, SmartHeat closed a transaction contemplated by an Equity Interest Purchase Agreement dated October 10, 2013, whereby the buyers purchased 40% of the equity interests in Taiyu, SmartHeat Siping, SmartHeat Energy, Ruicheng and XinRui. The purchase price was RMB 5,000,000.

On November 28, 2014, Heat PHE entered into an Amended Equity Interest Purchase Agreement. Under the terms of the Amended EIPA Buyers agreed to purchase the remaining 60% of Target Companies (constituting all of our remaining equity interests in the companies being sold). The purchase price for the remaining 60% consists of: (i) consideration of RMB 8,500,000 and (ii) the forgiveness of all net indebtedness owing to the companies being sold by SmartHeat and each of its other subsidiaries which was $8.79 million as of December 31, 2014.

The effectiveness of the transaction was subject to the following conditions: (i) approval of its shareholders and (ii) receipt by the Board of Directors (“BOD” or the “Board”) of the Company of an opinion that the purchase and sale transaction was fair to the shareholders of SmartHeat from a financial point of view. The parties executed a mutual release to be delivered at the closing which provided, in part, for the target companies to forgive all net indebtedness of $11.75 million from SmartHeat and all of its other subsidiaries. In the event that the conditions were not met prior to December 31, 2014, the consideration and all documents were to be deposited into escrow and released when the conditions were satisfied; provided that if the conditions were not satisfied on or before March 31, 2015, either party was able to terminate the Amended EIPA and the funds and documents were to be returned to the depositing party. The termination deadline of the Amended EIPA was extended to May 15, 2015.

On May 11, 2015, the Company’s stockholders approved the sale of all of the remaining interests, constituting 100% of its ownership interests, (the “Stock Sale”) of certain subsidiaries of the Company as described above, all of the conditions precedents to the Stock Sale were satisfied. The parties executed a mutual release which became effective and provided, in part, that the Target Companies forgave all net indebtedness from SmartHeat and all of its other subsidiaries owed to the Target Companies. The consideration and all documents relating to the transaction were released from escrow upon the satisfaction of the foregoing conditions.

On January 20, 2016, the Company entered a Share Purchase Agreement with a series of buyers to sell 85% of the equity shares of SmartHeat Deutschland GmbH (“SmartHeat Germany”) for Euro 170,000 ($185,400).  SmartHeat Germany was treated as a discontinued operations in the Company’s consolidated results of operations.

In October of 2017, The Company entered into negotiations with Northtech Holdings Inc., a British Virgin Islands business corporation (“Northtech”) in order to restructure the terms of the Credit and Security Agreement dated July 27, 2012, as amended (the “Credit Agreement”). On October 31, 2017 the Credit Line was not extended, and the parties continued negotiations.  The parties have agreed that Northtech will convert all outstanding interest and principal due under the Credit Agreement into the Company's common stock at a conversion price of $.065 per share, which represents a premium of $0649 to the thirty-day average closing price of the Company's common stock of $.0001 per share.  In addition, the parties agreed to reduce the maximum credit line under the Credit Agreement to $1,000,000 and extended the maturity date to December 31, 2018. Further conversion of any outstanding principal and interest under the Credit Agreement will be based on conversion price subject to a minimum of $.065 per share and a maximum of $.50 per share.

On June 14, 2018, we entered into the Sixth Amendment (the “Amendment”) to the Credit Agreement with Northtech on the terms set forth above. The Amendment is required to receive the approval of a majority of shareholders of the Company in a vote to be held at the next meeting of the stockholders. In the event approval is not received, it will be considered an event of default under the Credit Agreement.

Our Business Segments

On August 23, 2013, the Company formed two new wholly-owned subsidiaries in the state of Nevada, Heat HP, Inc.(“Heat HP”) and Heat PHE, Inc. (“Heat PHE”), in order to reorganize the Company’s ownership structure over its subsidiaries. On August 23, 2013, the Company entered into an assignment agreement (“Assignment Agreement”) with each of Heat HP and Heat PHE which effected the reorganization.  The reorganization was performed so the Company’s subsidiaries would be organized along their respective operating segments with Heat HP holding those subsidiaries that operated in the heat pumps and related products segment and Heat PHE holding those subsidiaries that operated in the plate heating equipment, meters and related products segment.  The Company initially presented its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2013, in accordance with these operating segments and has continued segment reporting since that time.

Under the Assignment Agreement with Heat HP, the Company agreed to transfer, and in the case of indirectly owned subsidiaries, caused to be transferred, to Heat HP the following subsidiaries of the Company:

Under the Assignment Agreement with Heat PHE, the Company agreed to transfer, and in the case of indirectly owned subsidiaries, caused to be transferred, to Heat PHE the following subsidiaries of the Company:

For financial information regarding our business segments, see Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, included in Part II, Item 8 of this report

Sale of Equity Interests

On December 30, 2013, the Company sold 40% of the Company’s equity interests in SmartHeat Taiyu (Shenyang) Energy; SmartHeat Siping Beifang Energy Technology Co., Ltd.; SmartHeat (Shenyang) Energy Equipment Co. Ltd.; Hohot Ruicheng Technology Co., Ltd.; and Urumchi XinRui Technology Limited Liability Company (collectively, the “Target Companies”). The purchase price was RMB 5,000,000.  On November 28, 2014, Heat PHE entered into an Amended Equity Interest Purchase Agreement. Under the terms of the Amended EIPA Buyers agreed to purchase the remaining 60% of Target Companies (constituting all of our remaining equity interests in the companies being sold). The purchase price for the remaining 60% consists of: (i) consideration of RMB 8,500,000 and (ii) the forgiveness of all net indebtedness owing to the companies being sold by SmartHeat and each of its other subsidiaries which was $8.79 million as of December 31, 2014.

The effectiveness of the transaction was subject to the following conditions: (i) approval of its stockholders and (ii) receipt by the Board of Directors of the Company of an opinion that the sale was fair to the stockholders of SmartHeat from a financial point of view. The parties executed a mutual release, effective as of the Closing, which will provided, in part, for the companies being sold to forgive all net indebtedness from SmartHeat and all of its other subsidiaries owing to such companies as of the effective date of the Closing. On December 24, 2014, the consideration and all documents were deposited into escrow and were released upon satisfaction of the conditions. The termination deadline for the Amended EIPA was extended to May 15, 2015.  

On May 11, 2015, the Company’s stockholders approved the sale of all of the remaining interests, constituting 100% of its ownership interests, (the “Stock Sale”), all of the conditions precedents to the Stock Sale were satisfied. The parties executed a mutual release which became effective and provided, in part, that the Target Companies forgave all net indebtedness from SmartHeat and all of its other subsidiaries owed to the Target Companies. The consideration and all documents relating to the transaction were released from escrow upon the satisfaction of the foregoing conditions.

The buyers consisted of 25 natural PRC citizens, including Wen Sha, Jun Wang and Xudong Wang, managers of the Company’s subsidiaries engaged in the PHE segment of its business, and Huajuan Ai and Yingkai Wang, the Company’s Corporate Secretary and Acting Chief Accountant, respectively.  Huajuan Ai, Wen Sha, Jun Wang and Xudong Wang are also principals in Northtech Holdings Inc., the company that provided a credit line of $2.5 million to the Company.

Competitive Business Conditions and Our Competitive Position in the Industry and Methods of Competition

Management believes that there are hundreds of shell companies engaged in endeavors similar to our new business plan; however, there are very few non-shell companies such as ours which have the same business plan. Competitors also include other publicly-held companies whose business operations have proven unsuccessful, and whose only viable business opportunity is that of providing a publicly-held vehicle through which a private entity may have access to the public capital markets via a reverse reorganization or merger.  There is no reasonable way to predict our competitive position or that of any other entity in these endeavors.

Dependence on One or a Few Major Customers

None; not applicable.

Need for any Governmental Approval of Principal Products or Services

Because we currently have no business operations other than reduction of inventory, produce no products nor provide any significant services, we are not presently subject to any governmental regulation other than has previously been received in this regard.  Our subsidiary SmartHeat Pump will be subject to the rules applicable to companies seeking bankruptcy reorganization or liquidation in the PRC. If we complete a business combination transaction, we will become subject to all governmental approval requirements to which the reorganized, merged or acquired entity is subject or may become subject.

Effect of Existing or Probable Governmental Regulations on our Business

We are subject to the following regulations of the SEC and applicable securities laws, rules and regulations:

Smaller Reporting Company

We are subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 of the Exchange Act, and subject to the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K of the SEC, as a “smaller reporting company.”  That designation will relieve us of some of the informational requirements of Regulation S-K applicable to larger companies

Sarbanes/Oxley Act

We are also subject to the Sarbanes/Oxley Act of 2002.  The Sarbanes/Oxley Act created a strong and independent accounting oversight board to oversee the conduct of auditors of public companies and strengthen auditor independence.  It also requires steps to enhance the direct responsibility of senior members of management for financial reporting and for the quality of financial disclosures made by public companies; establishes clear statutory rules to limit, and to expose to public view, possible conflicts of interest affecting securities analysts; creates guidelines for audit committee members’ appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of public companies’ auditors; management assessment of our internal controls; auditor attestation to management’s conclusions about internal controls; prohibits certain insider trading during pension fund blackout periods; requires companies and auditors to evaluate internal controls and procedures; and establishes a federal crime of securities fraud, among other provisions. Compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes/Oxley Act will substantially increase our legal and accounting costs.

Exchange Act Reporting Requirements

Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act requires all companies with securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act to comply with the rules and regulations of the SEC regarding proxy solicitations, as outlined in Regulation 14A. Matters submitted to stockholders at special or annual meetings thereof or pursuant to a written consent will require us to provide our stockholders with the information outlined in Schedules 14A or 14C of Regulation 14; preliminary copies of this information must be submitted to the SEC at least 10 days prior to the date that definitive copies of this information are forwarded to our stockholders.

We are also required to file Annual Reports on SEC Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on SEC Form 10-Q with the SEC on a regular basis, and will be required to timely disclose certain material events (e.g., changes in corporate control; acquisitions or dispositions of a significant amount of assets other than in the ordinary course of business; and bankruptcy) in a Current Report on SEC Form 8-K.

Laws of the Peoples Republic of China

Our subsidiaries located in China are subject to national, provincial and local laws of the Peoples Republic of China. The legal system in China is a civil law system. Unlike the common law system, the civil law system is based on written statutes in which decided legal cases have little value as precedents. In 1979, China began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and has since introduced many laws and regulations to provide general guidance on economic and business practices in China and to regulate foreign investment. Progress has been made in the promulgation of laws and regulations dealing with economic and commercial matters, but these recently enacted laws and regulations may not cover all aspects of business activities in China sufficiently. In particular, because these laws and regulations are relatively new, the interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations involve uncertainties, which may limit legal protections available to our subsidiaries. In addition, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules (some of which are not published on a timely basis or at all) that may have a retroactive effect. As a result, there may be certain instances when we may not be aware of our subsidiaries violation of these policies and rules until sometime after such violation. In addition, any litigation in China may be protracted and result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention.

The PRC government has enacted some laws and regulations dealing with matters such as corporate organization and governance, foreign investment, commerce, taxation and trade. Our subsidiaries’ ability to enforce commercial claims or to resolve commercial disputes under these laws and regulations is unpredictable, however, because the implementation, interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations is limited and, given their relative newness, involve uncertainties. For example, contracts governed by PRC law tend to contain less detail than those under U.S. law and generally are not as comprehensive in defining the rights and obligations of the contracting parties. Consequently, contracts in China are more vulnerable to disputes and legal challenges than those in the U.S. In addition, contract interpretation and enforcement in China is not as developed as in the U.S., and the result of any contract dispute is subject to significant uncertainties. Our subsidiaries currently are not subject to any contract dispute, but we cannot assure you that our subsidiaries will not be subject to future contract disputes with our suppliers, franchisees and other customers under contracts governed by PRC law, and if such disputes arise, we cannot assure you that our subsidiaries will prevail.

The RMB is currently convertible under the “current account,” which includes dividends, trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, but not under the “capital account,” which includes foreign direct investment and loans. Currently, our subsidiaries in China may purchase foreign currencies for settlement of current account transactions, including payments of dividends to us, without the approval of the SAFE. However, the relevant PRC government authorities may limit or eliminate their ability to purchase foreign currencies in the future. Since a significant amount of our future revenues will be denominated in RMB, any existing and future restrictions on currency exchange may limit our ability to utilize revenues generated in RMB to fund our business activities outside China that are denominated in for

On August 29, 2008, the SAFE promulgated Circular 142, the Notice on Perfecting Practices Concerning Foreign Exchange Settlement Regarding the Capital Contribution by Foreign-invested Enterprises, to regulate the conversion by foreign-invested enterprises, or FIEs, of foreign currency into RMB by restricting how the converted RMB may be used. Circular 142 requires that RMB converted from the foreign currency-dominated capital of a FIE may only be used for purposes within the business scope approved by the applicable government authority and may not be used for equity investments within the PRC unless specifically provided for otherwise. In addition, the SAFE strengthened its oversight over the flow and use of RMB funds converted from the foreign currency-dominated capital of a FIE. The use of such RMB may not be changed without approval from the SAFE, and may not be used to repay RMB loans if the proceeds of such loans have not yet been used. These limitations could affect the ability of our subsidiaries in China to obtain foreign exchange through debt or equity financing.

On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, including the CSRC, promulgated the Regulation on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Regulations, which became effective on September 8, 2006. The M&A Regulations, among other things, have certain provisions that require offshore special purpose vehicles, or SPVs, formed for the purpose of acquiring PRC domestic companies and controlled by PRC individuals, to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to listing their securities on an overseas stock exchange. We believe, based on the opinion of our PRC legal counsel, the Beijing Rondos Law Firm, that while the CSRC generally has jurisdiction over overseas listings of SPVs like us, CSRC’s approval is not required for the offerings of our securities because our current corporate structure was established before the new regulation became effective. However, there remains some uncertainty as to how this regulation will be interpreted or implemented in the context of an overseas offering. If the CSRC or another PRC regulatory agency subsequently determines that its approval is required for our public offerings, we may face sanctions by the CSRC or another PRC regulatory agency. If this happens, these regulatory agencies may impose fines and penalties on our operations in the PRC, limit our operating privileges in the PRC, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from our public offerings into the PRC, restrict or prohibit payment or remittance of dividends by our PRC subsidiaries to us or take other actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and prospects, as well as the trading price of our ordinary shares. 

On June 29, 2007, the PRC government promulgated the Labor Contract Law of the PRC, effective on January 1, 2008, to govern the establishment of employment relationships between employers and employees, and the conclusion, performance, termination of and the amendment to employment contracts. The Labor Contract Law imposes greater liabilities on employers and significantly affects the cost of an employer’s decision to reduce its workforce. Further, it requires that certain terminations be based upon seniority and not merit. In the event our subsidiaries decide to significantly change or decrease their workforce in China, the Labor Contract Law could adversely affect their ability to effect such changes in a manner that is most advantageous to our business or in a timely and cost-effective manner, thus materially and adversely affecting our financial condition and results of operations.

Cost and Effects of Compliance with Environmental Laws

Our current business operations are not subject to any material environmental laws, rules or regulations that would have an adverse material effect on our business operations or financial condition or result in a material compliance cost; however, our former business conducted through our subsidiaries was subject to the environmental laws of the PRC and provincial and local governments. We will become subject to all governmental requirements to which the reorganized, merged or acquired entity is subject or may become subject, on the closing of a business combination.

Our Offices

Our principal offices are located at c/o A-1, 10, Street 7, Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang, China 110141. Our telephone number is +86 (24) 2519-7699. Our website is www.smartheatinc.com. Copies of our annual, quarterly and current reports and any amendments thereto filed with or furnished to the SEC are available free of charge through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Furthermore, a copy of this Annual Report is located at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room can be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.

Employees

SmartHeat does not have direct employees.  However, as of December 31, 2015, SmartHeat’s subsidiaries retain approximately 4 part time employees to assist with winding down of our subsidiaries’ businesses. 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Not required.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

Not required.

Item 2. Properties

Our headquarters are located in the Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, PRC.  We currently do not have any manufacturing facilities.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

We may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. Litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties and an adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may have an adverse effect on our business, financial conditions or operating results. Aside from the proceeding described below, we are currently not aware of any such legal proceedings or claims that will have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results.

On August 31, 2012, a putative class action lawsuit, Steven Leshinsky v. James Wang, et. al., which purported to allege federal securities law claims against the Company and certain of its former officers and directors, was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.  Thereafter, two plaintiffs filed competing motions to be appointed lead plaintiff in the proceeding.  A lead plaintiff was appointed and an amended complaint was filed on January 28, 2013, by the Rosen Law Firm. The amended complaint included Oliver Bialowons, our President, and Michael Wilhelm, our former Chief Financial Officer, as defendants in the proceeding though they were not officers of the Company during the alleged class period. A second amended complaint was filed on April 8, 2013, under the caption Stream Sicav, Dharanendra Rai et al. v. James Jun Wang , SmartHeat, Inc. et al., removing Messrs. Wilhelm and Bialowons as defendants.  The second amended complaint alleges two counts against the Company, both asserting violations of the federal securities laws arising from alleged insider sales or management sales of securities and alleged false disclosures relating to those sales. On May 8, 2013, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the second amended complaint which was denied. On March 17, 2014 the court, denied, the lead plaintiff’s motion for class certification, without prejudice. On August 6, 2014, the lead plaintiff once again filed a motion for class certification.  On September 19, 2014, the Company filed an opposition to the lead plaintiff’s motion for class certification, to which plaintiff filed a response on October 20, 2014.  By Opinion and Order dated January 21, 2015, the Court denied plaintiffs’ class certification motion, finding that it failed to satisfy the requirements of Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 23 for typicality, adequacy and predominance.  Specifically, the Court found that plaintiffs’ theory of liability required a trade-by-trade inquiry as to whether the sale of the locked-up shares resulted in price inflation of the company’s stock, and that, as a result, the injury to all class members could not be established by common proof.  In addition to finding a lack of predominance of common issues, the Court expressed substantial concerns about the adequacy of the class representative, and that his claims were typical of other class members.  The Court also expressed doubts as to how plaintiffs would establish damages.  The Court’s denial of class certification was without prejudice, and the Court gave plaintiffs until February 17, 2015 to file a “far more rigorous, and a far more convincing submission…”.  The pleadings and court orders are publicly available.

The Company entered into an agreement to settle all claims in a US securities class action lawsuit. No findings of any wrongdoings were ever made against SmartHeat, any current or former officer or director of Smartheat or any of the defendants, and the Company and all other defendants continue to deny any wrongdoing.  The default judgment previously entered against James Jun Wang was vacated and was dismissed with prejudice. The Company entered into the settlement in order to avoid further cost of defending any of the purported actions. According to the settlement, the Company paid the plaintiffs $120,000. In return, the plaintiffs dismissed all claims against the Company and all of the individual defendants with prejudice.  As a result of the settlement, the case will not be allowed to be re-filed.

The settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing or acceptance of fault by the Company or any of the individual defendants.  The Company has and continues to assert that the allegations made in the consolidated lawsuits lack merit and no evidence was ever asserted supporting the allegations made in the consolidated lawsuits. The Company has nevertheless agreed to the settlement in order to eliminate the uncertainties, burden and expense of further litigation. The Company believes that putting this matter behind it is in the best interest of its customers, employees and shareholders so that it can remain focused on growing and strengthening its business.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information

Our common stock has traded on the over the counter market since November 9, 2012. Previously our common stock was listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “HEAT” and had been trading on NASDAQ since January 29, 2009. The following table sets forth the range of the high and low bid prices of our common stock for each quarter in the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2016. These bid prices were obtained from OTC Markets, Inc.  All prices listed herein reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commissions and may not represent actual transactions.

Holders of Record

On June 30, 2017, there were approximately 56 shareholders of record based on information provided by our transfer agent. Many of our shares of common stock are held in street or nominee name by brokers and other institutions on behalf of shareholders and we are unable to estimate the total number of shareholders represented by these record holders.

Dividend Policy

We have not paid and do not expect to declare or pay any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future, and we currently intend to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the expansion of our business. The decision whether to pay cash dividends on our common stock will be made by our Board of Directors, in their discretion, and will depend on our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors.

Our ability to pay dividends may be affected by the complex currency and capital transfer regulations in China that restrict the payment of dividends to us by our subsidiaries in China. PRC regulations currently permit payment of dividends only out of accumulated profits as determined in accordance with accounting standards and regulations in China. Our subsidiaries in China also are required to set aside at least 10% of net income after taxes based on PRC accounting standards each year to statutory surplus reserves until the cumulative amount of such reserves reaches 50% of registered capital. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. Our subsidiaries in China also may allocate a portion of their after-tax profits to their staff welfare and bonus funds, which may not be distributed to equity owners except in the event of liquidation. If any of our subsidiaries incur debt, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us.

In addition, Circular 75 requires PRC residents, including both legal persons and natural persons, to register with the competent local SAFE branch before establishing or controlling any company outside of China. If the PRC subsidiaries of an offshore parent company do not report the need for their PRC investors to register to the local SAFE authorities, they may be prohibited from distributing their profits and proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation to their offshore parent company. Although we believe that our subsidiaries in China are in compliance with these regulations, should these regulations or the interpretation of them by PRC courts or regulatory agencies change, we may not be able to pay dividends outside of China.

Item 6. Selected Financial Data

Not required.

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Safe Harbor Declaration

The comments made throughout this Annual Report should be read in conjunction with our Financial Statements and the Notes thereto, and other financial information appearing elsewhere in this document. In addition to historical information, the following discussion and other parts of this document contain certain forward-looking information. When used in this discussion, the words, “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results, due to a number of factors beyond our control. We do not undertake to publicly update or revise any of our forward-looking statements, even if experience or future changes show that the indicated results or events will not be realized. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Readers are also urged to carefully review and consider our discussions regarding the various factors that affect our business, which are described in this section and elsewhere in this report.

Overview

On May 11, 2015 the holders of 62.3% of the outstanding common stock, par value $.0001 per share, of SmartHeat Inc., authorized the sale of all of the remaining interests, constituting 100% of its ownership interests, (the “Stock Sale”) of certain subsidiaries of the Company pursuant to the terms of an Equity Interest Purchase Agreement (the  “EIPA”) dated October 10, 2013, as amended and restated on November 28, 2014 and amended on March 19, 2015 (the “Amended EIPA”), by and among Heat PHE, Inc. (“Heat PHE”), as Seller, and Hongjun Zhang, on behalf of all of several individuals ( “Buyers”) identified in Buyers’ Response to RFP submitted to the Company on September 10, 2013 and as revised and accepted by Company on September 23, 2013. The subsidiaries of the Company which were sold to the Buyers were:

SmartHeat Taiyu (Shenyang) Energy

SmartHeat Siping Beifang Energy Technology Co., Ltd.

SmartHeat (Shenyang Energy Equipment) Co., Ltd.

Hohhot Ruicheng Technology Co., Ltd.

Urumchi XinRui Technology Limited Liability Company

Upon approval by the Company’s stockholders on May 11, 2015, all of the conditions precedents in the Amended EIPA were satisfied which consisted of: (i) approval of its stockholders and (ii) receipt by the Board of Directors (“BOD”) of the Company of an opinion that the Stock Sale was fair to the stockholders of SmartHeat from a financial point of view. The parties executed a mutual release which became effective and provided, in part, that the Target Companies forgave all net indebtedness of $8.79 million owing to the Target Companies by SmartHeat and all of its other subsidiaries. The consideration and all documents relating to the transaction were released from escrow upon the satisfaction of the foregoing conditions.

The Buyers purchased 40% of Heat PHE’s equity interests in the Target Companies for a purchase price of RMB 5 million ($0.82 million) paid on December 30, 2013. The Buyers purchased the remaining 60% of Target Companies (constituting all of the remaining equity interests in the Target Companies) for purchase price of: (i) RMB 8.5 million ($1.39 million) and (ii) the forgiveness of $8.79 million in net indebtedness owing to Target Companies by SmartHeat and each of its other subsidiaries as of December 31, 2014, the date on which the sale occurred.

As a result of the Stock Sale our business has changed significantly as the significant operations of our Plated Heat Exchanges operating segment have been sold.  We currently operate the Heat Pump (“HP”) operating segment which has limited continuing operations in its operating subsidiaries and its business primarily consists of winding down existing businesses, selling inventory, collecting receivables and making arrangements for final payments to our former employees. As a result of the decision to seek bankruptcy protection for SmartHeat Pump, as discussed in more depth below, we are examining strategic alternatives for our business, which includes seeking another operating company to merge its operations with us.

Prior to the Stock Sale, we designed, manufactured and sold clean technology plate heat exchangers (“PHE”) through our PHE operating segment and related systems marketed principally in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”). Our former subsidiaries in the PHE operating segments designed, manufactured, sold and serviced PHEs, PHE Units, which combine PHEs with various pumps, temperature sensors, valves and automated control systems in systems custom designed by our in-house engineers, heat meters and heat pumps for use in commercial and residential buildings.

On January 20, 2016, SmartHeat Pump entered and closed a Share Purchase Agreement with a series of buyers to sell 85% of the equity shares of SmartHeat Germany for Euro 170,000 ($185,400).  The purchasing price of Euro 170,000 was returned to the buyers and subsequently paid into SmartHeat Germany as reserve by the buyers. The buyers are not related parties of the Company. SmartHeat Germany had continuous losses and the management decided to sell at a minimal or no cost due to its higher operating cost.

The following chart displays our subsidiaries according to which operating segment they operated in after the Stock Sale:

During the year ended December 31, 2016, the management of SmartHeat Pump decided that it would be necessary to seek bankruptcy protection in China due to the slowdown of the business and liabilities exceeding assets. Management made the determination that the business could not be operated profitably in the future. SmartHeat Pump is preparing for the filing by negotiating with employees and the government entities that represents them and is preparing various bankruptcy documents to be filed with the proper authorities in China as resolution to the negotiations are reached. Management expects the bankruptcy process to last between one to two years before obtaining the final approval is obtained from the court.  Accordingly, the Company reclassified SmartHeat Pump business as discontinued operations and made an impairment reserve for its assets including accounts receivable, other receivables, advance to suppliers, inventory, deferred tax assets, fixed assets and intangible assets.

Principal Factors Affecting Our Financial Performance

Our historical revenues also fluctuated significantly due to material costs; we experienced fluctuation in raw material costs as a result of world economic conditions, such as the price of stainless steel used to produce plates, our PHEs and PHE Units.

The economic conditions our subsidiaries faced in recent years, made it impossible for our subsidiaries to pay dividends to our US parent company, which is dependent upon such dividends to meet its financial obligations. Relevant PRC statutory laws and regulations permit payments of dividends by the Company’s PRC subsidiaries only out of the subsidiary’s retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Further, the Company’s PRC subsidiaries are required to take certain reserves as detailed in Note 14 to our financial statements. As a result, we sought alternative sources of capital for our US parent company. On July 27, 2012, we entered into a secured, revolving credit facility with Northtech Holdings Inc., a British Virgin Islands business corporation owned by certain members of our former management, James Wang, Rhett Wang and Wen Sha. Jane Ai, our Corporate Secretary, is also a part owner of Northtech. As amended on December 21, 2012, the Credit Agreement provides for borrowings of up to $2,500,000 with any amounts borrowed due on April 30, 2014. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are secured by 55% of the equity interest in each of our wholly, directly-owned subsidiaries and are repayable, at our option, in shares of our common stock. On December 21, 2012, we repaid $1,300,000 of the $1,384,455 outstanding under the Credit Agreement with 1,300,000 restricted shares of our common stock, approximately 22.67% of our total issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock, as authorized by the Credit Agreement and approved by our shareholders. On June 25, 2013, the Board approved second amendment to the credit and security agreement and on August 23, 2013, we entered into second amendment to the credit and security agreement with Northtech, which redefined the “base rate”, and adjusted the base rate to 10%, compounded quarterly, effective January 1, 2013. On March 26, 2014, we gave notice to Northtech pursuant to the terms of the Credit and Security Agreement between the Company and Northtech, dated July 27, 2012, as amended, extending the maturity date on the Credit Agreement from April 30, 2014 to January 31, 2015. On July 14, 2014, we entered the third amendment to the Credit Agreement with Northtech; the Amendment modifies the definition of “Average Share Price” in the Credit Agreement to decrease the minimum and maximum values for the “Average Share Price,” by 20% each from $0.50 to $0.40 and from $3.50 to $2.80, respectively. The Amendment also increases the maximum line which may be borrowed under the Credit Agreement from $2,500,000 to $3,250,000 and extends the maturity date for amounts borrowed from April 30, 2014 to October 31, 2015.  On December 28, 2015, we entered into the Fourth Amendment to the Credit and Security Agreement dated July 27, 2012, (as first amended on December 21, 2012 and subsequently amended on August 23, 2013, and July 14, 2014, between the Company and Northtech).  The Amendment provides that we will repay $1,600,000 of the outstanding principal and Northtech will extend the maturity date to July 31, 2016 in exchange for an extension fee of $100,000, 1,500,000 shares of common stock of SmartHeat, par value $.001 per share, which shall be restricted stock and a 10% Convertible Preferred Stock of its wholly owned subsidiary Heat HP, Inc. (“Heat HP”) representing 20% of the voting power of Heat HP, having a conversion, redemption and liquidation value of $1,000,000 and a 10% cumulative dividend accruing and payable quarterly ($25,000 per quarter).  In addition, the parties agreed to adjust the minimum conversion/exchange price in the Amendment from $.40 to $.20 per share and the maximum conversion/exchange price from $2.80 to $1.40 to reflect the current market conditions of the stock.  The new maximum credit line was reduced to $2,500,000.  On July 31, 2016, the Company entered into the Fifth Amendment to the Credit and Security Agreement between the Company and Northtech. The Amendment increased the maximum credit line of the Credit Agreement to $3,500,000 and extended the maturity dated to October 31, 2017.  The Company agreed to pay to Northtech an amendment fee of $80,000 payable in 400,000 restricted shares of the Company’s Common Stock valued at $0.20 per share.  The Amendment received the approval of a majority of shareholders of the Company in a vote held at the meeting of the stockholders on September 10, 2016.

On June 14, 2018, SmartHeat entered into the Sixth Amendment (the “Amendment”) to the Credit and Security Agreement dated July 27, 2012, as amended (the “Credit Agreement”), between the Company and Northtech. In October of 2017, The Company entered into negotiations with Northtech in order to restructure the terms of the Credit Agreement. On October 31, 2017 the Credit Line was not extended, and the parties continued negotiations.  The parties have agreed that Northtech will convert all outstanding interest and principal due under the Credit Agreement into the Company's common stock at a conversion price of $.065 per share, which represents a premium of $0649 to the thirty-day average closing price of the Company's common stock of $.0001 per share.  In addition, the parties agreed to reduce the maximum credit line under the Credit Agreement to $1,000,000 and extended the maturity date to December 31, 2018. Further conversion of any outstanding principal and interest under the Credit Agreement will be based on conversion price subject to a minimum of $.065 per share and a maximum of $.50 per share. As a result of the entering into the Amendment, the Company will issue to Northtech 71,283,000 restricted shares of its common stock which will result in Northtech and Mr. Jimin Zhang, sole stockholder and director of Northtech, holding approximately 95% of all of the issued and outstanding common stock of the Company after giving effect to the transaction. Upon the issuance of the common stock to Northtech, the interest and principal due to Northtech will be reduced to zero, subject to additional disbursements thereunder. The Amendment is required to receive the approval of a majority of shareholders of the Company in a vote to be held at the next meeting of the stockholders. In the event approval is not received, it will be considered an event of default under the Credit Agreement.

As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the outstanding credit line payable to Northtech was $2,875,335.  As of December 31, 2017, Northtech owns 46.06% of the Company as a result of shares received from the Company for loan repayment and extension fee.  In addition, Northtech became the 20% noncontrolling interest of Heat HP as a result of $1,000,000 loan repayment by issuing Series A Preferred Stock of Heat HP which can be convertible into 20% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock of Heat HP on fully diluted basis.

On December 30, 2013, we closed the transaction contemplated by the EIPA dated October 10, 2013, whereby the buyers purchased 40% of the Company’s equity interests in the following PHE segment subsidiaries: SmartHeat Taiyu (Shenyang) Energy; SmartHeat Siping Beifang Energy Technology Co., Ltd.; SmartHeat (Shenyang Energy Equipment) Co. Ltd.; Hohhot Ruicheng Technology Co., Ltd.; and Urumchi XinRui Technology Limited Liability Company (collectively, the “Target Companies”). The purchase price was RMB 5 million ($0.82 million). Urumchi XinRui was 46% owned by SmartHeat US parent company.

On November 28, 2014, we entered into the Amended and Restated EIPA, which amended and restated the EIPA dated October 10, 2013 between the Company and the buyers. Under the terms of the Amended EIPA, the buyers had agreed to purchase the remaining 60% of the Company’s equity interests in the Target Companies effective as of December 31, 2014 (the “Closing Date”). The purchase price for the remaining 60% consisted of: (i) consideration of RMB 8.5 million ($1.39 million) and (ii) the forgiveness of all net indebtedness owed to the Target Companies by SmartHeat and each of its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2014. The effectiveness of the transaction was subject to the following conditions: (i) approval of its shareholders and (ii) receipt by the Board of Directors of the Company of an opinion that the purchase and sale transaction was fair to the shareholders of SmartHeat from a financial point of view. The parties executed a mutual release to be delivered at the closing which provide, in part, for the Target Companies to forgive all net indebtedness from SmartHeat and all of its other subsidiaries. In the event that the conditions were not met prior to December 31, 2014, the consideration and all documents were to be deposited into escrow and released when the conditions were satisfied; provided that if the conditions were not satisfied on or before March 31, 2015, either party may terminate the Amended EIPA and the funds and documents be returned to the depositing party. The termination deadline of the Amended EIPA was extended to May 15, 2015.

On May 11, 2015, the Company’s stockholders approved the sale of all of the remaining interests, constituting 100% of its ownership interests, of certain subsidiaries of the Company as described above, all of the conditions precedents to the Stock Sale were satisfied which consisted of: (i) approval of its stockholders and (ii) receipt by the Board of Directors of the Company of an opinion that the Stock Sale was fair to the stockholders of SmartHeat from a financial point of view. The parties executed a mutual release which became effective and provided, in part, that the Target Companies forgave all net indebtedness from SmartHeat and all of its other subsidiaries owing to the Target Companies. The consideration and all documents relating to the transaction were released from escrow upon the satisfaction of the foregoing conditions. The Stock Sale was effective December 31, 2014.

Since we have decided to seek bankruptcy protection for our primary operating subsidiary, SmartHeat Pump, we have little if any operations and management is attempting to identify other options for the company, including a merger with another operating company.

Significant Accounting Policies

While our significant accounting policies are more fully described in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements, we believe the following accounting policies are the most critical to aid you in fully understanding and evaluating this management discussion and analysis.

Basis of Presentation

Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or US GAAP. 

Principles of Consolidation

For the years ended December 31, 2017, the accompanying consolidated financial statements include SmartHeat’s US parent, its subsidiaries Heat HP and Heat PHE, and their subsidiaries SanDeKe, Jinhui, SmartHeat Investment, SmartHeat Trading, SmartHeat Pump, and Heat Exchange, which are collectively referred to as the “Company.”

Use of Estimates

In preparing the financial statements in conformity with US GAAP, management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates, required by management, include the recoverability of long-lived assets, allowance for doubtful accounts, and the reserve for obsolete and slow-moving inventories. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Accounts Receivable

We maintain reserves for potential credit losses on accounts receivable. Management reviews the composition of accounts receivable and analyzes historical bad debts, customer concentrations, customer credit worthiness, current economic trends and changes in customer payment patterns to evaluate the adequacy of these reserves. Accounts receivable are net of unearned interest. Unearned interest represents imputed interest on accounts receivable with due dates over one year from the invoice date discounted at our borrowing rate for the year. Based on historical collection activity, we had bad debt allowances for accounts receivable of $1.88 million and $1.89 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Revenue Recognition

Our revenue recognition policies are in compliance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 605, “Revenue Recognition.” Sales revenue is recognized when PHEs, heat meters and HPs are delivered, and for PHE Units when customer acceptance occurs, the price is fixed or determinable, no other significant obligations of ours exist and collectability is reasonably assured. Payments received before all of the relevant criteria for revenue recognition are recorded as unearned revenue under “Advance from customers.” As a result of 100% Stock Sale of certain subsidiaries effective December 31, 2014, the Company only sold few PHEs for the years ended December 31, 2017, and the Company only sold few PHES and heat pumps for the years ended December 31, 2016.

Our agreements with our customers generally provide that 30% of the purchase price is due upon placement of an order, 30% upon delivery and 30% upon installation and acceptance of the equipment after customer testing. As a common practice in the heating manufacturing business in China, payment of the final 10% of the purchase price is due no later than the termination date of the standard warranty period, which ranges from three to 24 months from the acceptance date. Due to the slowdown of the Chinese economy and tightened monetary policy, and in order to attract and retain customers, the Company’s subsidiaries have adjusted their contract and payment terms on a case-by-case basis to permit for more flexible and longer payment terms.

Our warranty is provided to all customers and is not considered an additional service; rather, it is an integral part of the product sale. We believe the existence of our product warranty in a sales contract does not constitute a deliverable in the arrangement and thus there is no need to apply FASB ASC subtopic 605-25, separation and allocation model for a multiple deliverable arrangement. FASB ASC Topic 450, “Contingencies,” specifically addresses the accounting for standard warranties FASB ASC Topic 605 does not supersede FASB ASC Topic 450. We believe that accounting for its standard warranty pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 450 does not impact revenue recognition because the cost of honoring the warranty can be reliably estimated.

We charge for after-sales services provided after the expiration of the warranty period, with after-sales services mainly consisting of cleaning PHEs and repairing and exchanging parts. We recognize such revenue when service is provided. Such revenue was recorded in other income, net of cost for after-sales services.

Foreign Currency Translation and Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The accounts of the US parent company are maintained in USD. The functional currency of the Company’s China subsidiaries is the Chinese Yuan Renminbi (“RMB”) and the functional currency of SmartHeat Germany, the Company’s subsidiary in Germany, is the Euro (“EUR”). The accounts of the China subsidiaries and German subsidiary were translated into USD in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 830, “Foreign Currency Matters.” According to FASB ASC Topic 830, all assets and liabilities were translated at the exchange rate on the balance sheet date; stockholders’ equity was translated at the historical rates and statement of operations items were translated at the average exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustments are reported under other comprehensive income in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 220, “Comprehensive Income).”

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets, which include tangible assets, such as property and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.

Recoverability of long-lived assets to be held and used is measured by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized based on the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value (“FV”) of the assets. FV generally is determined using the asset’s expected future discounted cash flows or market value, if readily determinable. Based on its review, at December 31, 2016, impairment of long-lived assets was $508,744 due to discontinued operation of SmartHeat Pump.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers.  ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive revenue recognition standard that will supersede nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under current U.S. GAAP and replace it with a principle-based approach for determining revenue recognition.  ASU 2014-09 will require that companies recognize revenue based on the value of transferred goods or services as they occur in the contract.  The ASU also will require additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract.  ASU 2014-09 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017.   Early adoption is permitted only in annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods therein.  Entities will be able to transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption.  The Company does not believe the adoption of this ASU will have a significant impact on its CFS.

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The guidance in ASU 2016-02 supersedes the lease recognition requirements in ASC Topic 840, Leases (FAS 13). ASU 2016-02 requires an entity to recognize assets and liabilities arising from a lease for both financing and operating leases, along with additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect this standard will have on its CFS.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 clarifies the presentation and classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments in the statement of cash flows. This ASU is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of ASU 2016-15 on its CFS.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16—Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory. This ASU improves the accounting for the income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. For public business entities, the amendments in this update are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not anticipate that the adoption of this ASU will have a significant impact on its CFS.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash. The guidance requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The standard should be applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. The Company does not anticipate that the adoption of this ASU will have a significant impact on its CFS.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which clarifies the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions or disposals of assets or businesses. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The standard should be applied prospectively on or after the effective date. The Company will evaluate the impact of adopting this standard prospectively upon any transactions of acquisitions or disposals of assets or businesses.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The guidance removes Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. The guidance should be adopted on a prospective basis for the annual or any interim goodwill impairment tests beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this standard on its CFS.

Results of Operations

Year ended December 31, 2017 Compared to year ended December 31, 2016

The following table sets forth the consolidated results of our operations for the periods indicated as a percentage of net sales, certain columns may not add due to rounding.

Sales. Net sales in the years ended December 31, 2017, were $772,158, while net sales in the years ended December 31, 2016, were $94,338, an overall increase of $677,820 or 719%. The 719% increase in total revenue was due primarily to the increase in sales of PHEs in the years ended December 31, 2017comparing with the same period of 2016.

Cost of Sales. Cost of sales (“COS”) was $606,000 in the years ended December 31, 2017, compared to $964,442 in the comparable period of 2016, a decrease of $358,442 or 37%. The decrease in our COS is attributable to decreased provision for inventory impairment for Sandeke. The COS as a percentage of sales was 78% in the years ended December 31, 2017 compared with 1022% for the same period of 2016.

We performed an inventory impairment assessment as of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, for the write-down of raw materials and finished goods in inventory. We stock inventory, consisting of raw materials and finished goods, according to projected sales and customer orders, with steel plates and components for our products generally ordered two to three months in advance of anticipated production needs. As part of our impairment analysis, we performed an evaluation of raw materials stored over one year and not anticipated to be consumed, and an evaluation of potential impairment to the quality of these raw materials. If management anticipates that obsolete raw materials in inventory can be utilized and will be consumed within the next few months through new customer orders or substitute orders, no impairment is recorded. We collected information about delayed and canceled contracts and met with affected customers to discuss their financing situation and their projections of future orders. Finished goods manufactured for delayed and canceled contracts that we do not expect to be reinstated and contracts for which we have been unable to find substitute customers become impaired. We performed an evaluation of these finished goods stored over one year and recorded an impairment accordingly. We also analyzed whether to take a reserve for conversion costs of finished goods in inventory for resale to substitute customers. Following the completion of our impairment analysis, we had inventory impairment allowance of $7.44 million and $7.00 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. 

Gross Income (Loss). Gross income was $166,158 in the years ended December 31, 2017, compared to gross loss of $0.87 million in the comparable period of 2016. Gross profit (loss) margin was 22% and (922)% for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Operating Expenses. Operating expenses consisting of selling, general and administrative expenses and provision for bad debts totaled $2.62 million in the years ended December 31, 2017, compared to $1.21 million selling, general and administrative expenses in the comparable period of 2016, an increase of $1.41 million or 116%. The increase in operating expenses is mainly attributable to increased provision for bad debts of $1.3 million in the years ended December 31, 2017, and increased general and administrative expense of $1,200,971 in the years ended December 31, 2017, compared to $1,018,443 general and administrative expense in the comparable period of 2016. Operating expenses as a percentage of sales were 340% in the years ended December 31, 2017, compared to 1287% in the comparable period of 2016, the decreased operating expenses as percentage of sales resulted from increased sales.

Generally, we reserve for 50% of accounts receivable with aging over 180 days and 100% of accounts receivable with aging over 360 days as bad debt allowance. We do not expect a significant risk with respect to the overdue accounts receivable for which we took the bad debt allowance and continue to work to collect all amounts due.

Non-Operating Income (Expenses), net. Our net non-operating income for the years ended December 31, 2017 was $0.40 million compared to net non-operating expense of $0.49 million for the comparable period of 2016, a decrease of expenses of $89,814 or 18%. The decrease in non-operating expenses is mainly attributable to decrease financial expense by $157,115, which was partly offset by increased interest expense by $71,083 for the years ended December 31, 2017 compared to the comparable period of 2016.

Loss from Discontinued Operations. We had loss from operation of discontinued entity of $71,361 from SmartHeat Pump in the years ended December 31, 2017, compared to loss from operation of discontinued entities of $5.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2016; in addition, we had loss on disposal of 85% equity interest of SmartHeat Germany of $2.76 million (after net with cumulative foreign currency translation gain of $0.68 million) for the comparable period of 2016.

Net Loss. Our net loss to SmartHeat Inc. for the years ended December 31, 2017 was $2.91 million compared to net loss of $8.38 million for the comparable period of 2016 a decrease of $5.47 million or 65%. Net loss as a percentage of sales was 377% in the years ended December 31, 2017, and net loss as a percentage of sales was 8887% in the comparable period of 2016.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2017, we had cash and equivalents of $0.37 million. Working capital deficit was $9.58 million at December 31, 2017. The ratio of current assets to current liabilities was 0.08:1 at December 31, 2017.

The Company had revolving line of credit providing for borrowings of up to $2.50 million with maturity on July 31, 2016, and extended to October 31, 2017 with increased borrowing amount up to $3.5 million, to address the cash needs of the Company’s US parent company. The outstanding balance under the Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2017 was $2.88 million.

The following is a summary of cash provided by or used in each of the indicated types of activities during the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016:

Net cash flow used by operating activities was $704,090 in the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to net cash flow used in operating activities of $1.05 million in the comparable period of 2016. The decrease in net cash outflow in operating activities was due mainly to decreased net loss of $2,932,936, compared with $9,908,946 net loss in the comparable period of 2016; which was partly offset by 1) decreased provision for inventory impairment of $12,856 in the year ended December 31, 2017, comparing with provision for inventory impairment of $2,124,837 in the same period of 2016; 2) loss on sale of equity interest of subsidiaries of $0 in the year ended December 31, 2017, compare with loss on sale of equity interest of subsidiaries of $2,082,665 in the same period of 2016; and 3) decreased cash inflow from accrued liabilities and other payable of $580,714 in the year ended December 31, 2017, compare with cash inflow from accrued liabilities and other payable of $2,207,680 in the same period of 2016.

Net cash flow used by investing activities was $8,887 in the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to net cash provided in investing activities of $25,715 in the comparable period of 2016. In the year ended December 31, 2017, we had $8,887 cash outflow from notes receivable. In the year ended December 31, 2016, we had $0.16 million cash inflow from notes receivable, but offset with $0.13 million cash disposed from sale of equity interest on SmartHeat Germany and $347 cash outflow for purchase of fixed assets.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $0 in the years ended December 31, 2017, compared to $0.42 million cash provided by financing activities in the comparable period of 2016, which was the proceeds from a credit line.

Historically our accounts receivable remained outstanding for a significant period of time based on the standard payment terms with our customers. The increase in amount of accounts receivable outstanding for more than 180 days was historically due mainly to payment delays from certain state-owned customers that experienced working capital difficulties because of the current deflationary fiscal policy of the PRC government. Bad debt allowance was reserved in accordance with the Company’s accounting policy, though the Company continues to work to collect all funds due.

The terms of our contracts in our heat pump business require an advance payment upon the execution of a contract or purchase order and a final payment prior to shipping goods which should reduce our outstanding receivables due in the future.  In addition, we provide replacement parts and maintenance on our products if they break down within prescribed periods.

Dividend Distribution

We are a US holding company that conducts substantially all of our business through our wholly owned and other consolidated operating entities in China and Germany. We rely in part on dividends paid by our subsidiaries in China for our cash needs, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders, to service any debt we may incur and to pay our operating expenses. The payment of dividends by entities organized in China is subject to limitations. In particular, PRC regulations currently permit payment of dividends only out of accumulated profits as determined in accordance with accounting standards and regulations in China. Our PRC subsidiaries also are required to set aside at least 10% of their after-tax profit based on PRC accounting standards each year to a statutory surplus reserve fund until the accumulative amount of such reserve reaches 50% of registered capital. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. In addition, our PRC subsidiaries, at their discretion, may allocate a portion of their after-tax profit to their staff welfare and bonus fund, which may not be distributed to equity owners except in the event of liquidation. Moreover, if any of our subsidiaries incur debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict such subsidiary’s ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us. Any limitation on the ability of one of our subsidiaries to distribute dividends and other distributions to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our businesses, pay dividends or otherwise fund and conduct our business.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We have not entered into any other financial guarantees or other commitments to guarantee the payment obligations of any third parties other than as described following under “Contractual Obligations.” We have not entered into any derivative contracts that are indexed to our shares and classified as stockholders’ equity or that are not reflected in our consolidated financial statements. Furthermore, we do not have any retained or contingent interest in assets transferred to an unconsolidated entity that serves as credit, liquidity or market risk support to such entity. We do not have any variable interest in any unconsolidated entity that provides financing, liquidity, market risk or credit support to us or engages in leasing, hedging or research and development services with us. 

Contingencies

The Company’s former operations were conducted in the PRC and were subject to specific considerations and significant risks not typically associated with companies in North America and Western Europe. These include risks associated with, among others, the political, economic and legal environments in China and foreign currency exchange. The Company’s results may be adversely affected by changes in PRC government policies with respect to laws and regulations, anti-inflationary measures, currency conversion and remittance abroad and rates and methods of taxation, among other things.

The Company’s sales, purchases and expense transactions in China are denominated in RMB and all of the Company’s assets and liabilities in China are also denominated in RMB. The RMB is not freely convertible into foreign currencies under the current PRC law. In China, foreign exchange transactions are required by law to be transacted only by authorized financial institutions. Remittances in currencies other than RMB may require certain supporting documentation in order to affect the remittance.

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Not required.

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Our financial statements, together with the report thereon, appear in a separate section of this Annual Report beginning on page F-1.

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

None.

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management, with the participation of our President and Acting Chief Accountant, our principal executive officer and acting principal financial officer, respectively, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act as of the end of the period covered by this report. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our President and Acting Chief Accountant, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Based on this evaluation, our President and Acting Chief Accountant concluded that, as of December 31, 2017, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of such date because of a material weakness identified in our internal control over financial reporting related to our internal level of U.S. GAAP expertise. We lack sufficient personnel with the appropriate level of knowledge, experience and training in U.S. GAAP for the preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. None of our internal accounting staff, including our Acting Chief Accountant, that are primarily responsible for the preparation of our books and records and financial statements in compliance with U.S. GAAP holds a license such as Certified Public Accountant in the U.S., nor have any attended U.S. institutions or extended educational programs that would provide enough of the relevant education relating to U.S. GAAP.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and includes those policies and procedures that:

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect all misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Therefore, internal control over financial reporting determined to be effective provides only reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparations of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Our management carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in “Internal Control – Integrated Framework” issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based upon this evaluation, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2017, because of a material weakness related to our internal level of U.S. GAAP expertise. We lack sufficient personnel with the appropriate level of knowledge, experience and training in U.S. GAAP for the preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. None of our internal accounting staff, including our Chief Financial Officer, that are primarily responsible for the preparation of our books and records and financial statements in compliance with U.S. GAAP holds a license such as Certified Public Accountant in the U.S., nor have any attended U.S. institutions or extended educational programs that would provide enough of the relevant education relating to U.S. GAAP.

In order to mitigate the foregoing material weakness, we engaged an outside accounting consultant to assist us in the preparation of our financial statements to ensure that these financial statements are prepared in conformity to U.S. GAAP. Our outside accounting consultant is a Certified Public Accountant in the U.S. and has significant experience in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP. Our Chief Financial Officer and internal accounting personnel consult with our outside accounting consultant on an ongoing basis with regards to our treatment and conversion of financials from PRC GAAP to U.S. GAAP. We believe that the engagement of this outside accounting consultant lessens the possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis, and we will continue to monitor the effectiveness of this action and make any changes that our management deems appropriate. We expect to continue to rely on this outside consulting arrangement to supplement our current internal accounting staff for the foreseeable future.

Our Board of Directors and management are evaluating remediation measures that we will undertake to address this material weakness and will continue this evaluation in order to implement a comprehensive remediation plan. We expect that this plan will include but not be limited to (a) appointing a principal accounting officer with extensive U.S. GAAP training and experience, (b) hiring accounting personnel with appropriate knowledge and experience in U.S. GAAP and (c) providing more training on U.S. GAAP to accounting and other relevant personnel responsible for the preparation of books, records and financial statements. In the interim, our Acting Chief Accountant has attended U.S. GAAP training courses conducted by our outside Sarbanes-Oxley consultant and intends to continue attending training courses in U.S. GAAP. Until such time as we hire qualified accounting staff and train our current accounting staff with the requisite U.S. GAAP experience, however, it is unlikely we will be able to remediate this material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting.

We believe that the foregoing steps will remediate the material weakness identified above, and we will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these steps and make any changes that our management deems appropriate.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Item 9B. Other Information

None.

PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

The following table sets forth the names of our directors, executive officers and their ages, positions and biographical information as of the date of this report. Our executive officers are appointed by, and serve at the discretion of, our Board of Directors. Our directors hold office for one-year terms or until their successors have been elected and qualified. There are no family relationships between any of our directors, executive officers or other key personnel and any other of our directors, executive officers or key personnel. There are no arrangements or understandings between any of our directors or executive officers and any other persons pursuant to which such director or executive officer was selected in that capacity.

Kenneth Scipta, President Director

Kenneth Scipta was appointed to our Board of Directors and as Chairman of our Audit Committee on July 10, 2012 and as our President on November 29, 2016. Mr. Scipta, a certified public accountant, has over 35 years of relevant accounting experience, and has served on several boards of directors. From 1993 to 1996, Mr. Scipta was the president and a board member of Mid-West Springs Manufacturing Company, a NASDAQ traded company, where he was responsible for day to day operations, planning, administration and financial reporting. Upon Mr. Scipta’s resignation he assumed the duties of president of the special products division, which included catalog sales, die springs and the development of international sales. Previously, from 1979-1993, Mr. Scipta served in various positions such as president, vice president of finance and vice president of sales and marketing for Mid-West’s primary subsidiary. From 1998 to 2006, Mr. Scipta was the chief executive officer and a board member of First National Entertainment Company, a multi-million dollar company traded on NASDAQ.

Yingkai Wang, Acting Chief Accountant

Yingkai Wang was appointed as our Acting Chief Accountant on June 7, 2013. Mr. Wang has served as our subsidiaries financial manager since 2007, and has been responsible for our internal financial reporting, establishing a budget and for analyzing our subsidiaries’ overall financial position.  Mr. Wang was previously the financial manager of Shengyang Zhong Zhijie Electric Equipment Co., Ltd. from 2004-2007, and Shenyang Materials Group from August 1996 – April 2004.  Mr. Wang is acquainted with our subsidiaries’ operations and was appointed to serve our Acting Chief Accountant by our Board of Directors as we continue to search for a new Chief Financial Officer.

Weiguo Wang, Director

Mr. Wang was appointed to our Board of Directors on June 19, 2008, and serves currently as the Chairman of our Compensation Committee and member of our Audit Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Wang brings over eight years of relevant industry oversight and extensive engineering experience to the Board. Mr. Wang has served as a Director of the China Special Equipment Inspection and Research Agency since 2006. Prior positions include serving as a supervisor of the Lanzhou Heat Transfer & Save Energy Engineering Center in 2006, Assistant Secretary General of the China Standardization Committee on Boilers and Pressure Vessels in 2005 and Deputy General Manager of Boilers Standard (Beijing) Technology Services Center Co., Ltd. in 2004. From July 2001 to December 2003, Mr. Wang was a teacher at Tianjin University, China. Mr. Wang holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanics, a master’s degree in Fluid Mechanics and a PhD in Fluid Mechanics, all from Beijing University. His skills include business analysis, industry analysis, and long-range planning, especially as applied to manufacturing and standards implementation.

Xin Li, Director

Mr. Li was appointed to our Board of Directors on July 29, 2009, and serves as the Chairman of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and member of our Audit Committee and Compensation Committee. Mr. Li brings more than a decade of corporate governance and industrial operations management experience to the Board. He is a renowned management consultant in China and currently serves as the general manager of Beijing ShengGao Consulting Co., Ltd., a strategic advisory firm founded by him more than 10 years ago that focuses on providing strategic guidance and management training to global companies, including the Sangoal Metal Manufacturing Company in China. He also serves as an independent director and chairs the audit and various governance committees at several large Chinese domestic companies not listed in the United States. Mr. Li is a prolific writer in strategies and management issues. He has authored several books in the areas of management science and strategic planning. Mr. Li is proficient in Mandarin Chinese and English. He has an MBA and is a Research Fellow at the Management Science Center of Beijing University.

Qingtai Kong, Director

Mr. Kong was appointed to our Board of Directors on September 22, 2011, and serves as a member of our Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Kong is a senior engineer bringing over 20 years of management experience in the gas supply and heating industry in China to the Board, and he currently serves as commissioner of China’s Industrial Gas Committee. From 1995 to 2001, Mr. Kong served as Deputy Director overseeing district heating projects for the Qinhuangdao District Bureau of Municipal & Rural Construction in Hebei Province. From 1991 to 1995, Mr. Kong served as general manager of the state-owned utility Gas Supply Corporation of Qinhuangdao in Hebei Province. Mr. Kong’s career in the gas industry began in 1988 with his position as chief engineer of a gas network project in the city of Qinhuangdao.

Legal Proceedings

During the past ten years, none of our directors or executive officers has been:

None of our directors, officers or affiliates, or any beneficial owner of 5% or more of our common stock, or any associate of such persons, is an adverse party in any material proceeding to, or has a material interest adverse to, us or any of our subsidiaries.

Audit Committee and Audit Committee Financial Expert

We have established a separately-designated standing audit committee in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act. Our Audit Committee consists of Messrs. Scipta, Wang, Li and Kong, each of whom is an independent director. Mr. Scipta, Chairman of the Audit Committee, is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under Item 407(d) of Regulation S-K. The purpose of the Audit Committee is to represent and assist our Board of Directors in its general oversight of our accounting and financial reporting processes, audits of the financial statements and internal control and audit functions. As more fully described in its charter, a copy of which is available on our website at www.smartheatinc.com, the functions of the Audit Committee include the following:

Procedures for Shareholder Recommendations of Nominees to the Board of Directors

During 2017, there were no material changes to the procedures described in our Proxy Statement relating to the 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders by which shareholders may recommend nominees to our Board of Directors.

Code of Ethics

Our Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Conduct, which applies to all of our directors, officers and employees that constitutes our “code of ethics” within the meaning of Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to promote honest and ethical conduct. The Code of Conduct is posted on our website located at www.smartheatinc.com and is available in print, without charge, upon written request to SmartHeat Inc. at A-1, 10, Street 7, Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang, China 110141, Attn: Corporate Secretary. We intend to disclose any future amendments to our Code of Conduct, and any waivers of provisions of the Code of Conduct required to be disclosed under the rules of the SEC, on our website.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our executive officers and directors, and persons who own more than 10% of our common stock, to file reports regarding ownership of, and transactions in, our securities with the Commission and to provide us with copies of those filings. Based solely on our review of the copies received by us and on the written representations of certain reporting persons, we believe that all such Section 16(a) filing requirements were timely met during 2017.

Item 11. Executive Compensation

As a “smaller reporting company,” we have elected to follow the scaled disclosure requirements for smaller reporting companies with respect to the disclosures required by Item 402 of Regulation S-K. Under such scaled disclosure, we are not required to provide a Compensation Discussion and Analysis, Compensation Committee Report and certain other tabular and narrative disclosures relating to executive compensation.

Executive Compensation

The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, of each of our named executive officers.

The following table sets forth information concerning the outstanding equity awards held by each of our named executive officers at December 31, 2017.

Agreements with Personnel

Mr. Scipta is compensated $60,000 per year as President.

We currently do not have any defined pension plan for our named executive officers. Pursuant to their executive agreements, we shall provide to such officers all the necessary insurances and social welfares, including but not limited to medical, work injury, maternity, retirement and unemployment insurance and housing fund, according to our policies and the relevant laws and regulations of local governmental authorities and the PRC.

We currently do not have nonqualified defined contribution or other plans that provides for the deferral of compensation for our named executive officers nor do we currently intend to establish any such plan.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards

On May 25, 2010, our shareholders approved the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan authorizing the issuance of up to 100,000 shares of our common stock. The Compensation Committee administers the Plan and may grant awards, including restricted shares, incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options, under the Plan to our officers, directors and employees pursuant to the guidelines set forth in the Plan.

Change-In-Control and Separation Agreements

We do not have any existing arrangements providing for payments or benefits in connection with the resignation, severance, retirement or other termination of any of our named executive officers, or a change in control of the company or a change in the named executive officer’s responsibilities following a change in control.

Compensation of Directors

The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of our directors for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Our independent directors receive cash compensation, paid in equal quarterly installments, for their service. In addition, at the discretion of the non-interested members of the Compensation Committee, independent directors are eligible to receive bonuses for service to our company outside the normal duties as a director and grants of options to purchase our common stock under the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan. Messrs. Li and Kong receive compensation of $17,910 and $3,750 per year, respectively, paid in equal quarterly installments. We do not compensate our non-independent directors for serving as our directors. All directors are eligible to receive reimbursement of expenses incurred with respect to attendance at board meetings and meetings of committees thereof, which is not included in the above table. We do not maintain a medical, dental or retirement benefits plan for the directors. On March 27, 2014, Ken Scipta was granted 50,000 shares of our common stock.

The directors may determine remuneration to be paid to the directors with interested members refraining from voting. The Compensation Committee will assist the directors in reviewing and approving the compensation structure for the directors.

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

The following sets forth information as of November 16, 2018, regarding the number of shares of our common stock beneficially owned by (i) each person that we know beneficially owns more than 5% of our outstanding common stock, (ii) each of our named executive officers, (iii) each of our directors and (iv) all of our named executive officers and directors as a group.

The amounts and percentages of our common stock beneficially owned are reported on the basis of SEC rules governing the determination of beneficial ownership of securities. Under the SEC rules, a person is deemed to be a “beneficial owner” of a security if that person has or shares “voting power,” which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting of such security, or “investment power,” which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days through the exercise of any stock option, warrant or other right. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed a beneficial owner of the same securities and a person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities as to which such person has no economic interest.

Unless otherwise indicated, each of the shareholders named in the table below, or his or her family members, has sole voting and investment power with respect to such shares of our common stock. Except as otherwise indicated, the address of each of the shareholders listed below is: c/o SmartHeat Inc., A-1, 10, Street 7, Shenyang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Shenyang, China 110141.

As of November 16, 2018, there were 8,683,399 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding.

*           Represents less than 1% of shares outstanding.

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

The following table sets forth information regarding all equity compensation plans, including individual compensation arrangements, under which our common stock is authorized for issuance as of December 31, 2017.

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

On July 27, 2012, we entered into a secured revolving credit facility under the terms of a Secured Credit Agreement with Northtech Holdings, Inc., an entity owned by certain members of the Company’s former management, Jun Wang, our former Chief Executive Officer, Xudong Wang, our former Vice President of Strategy and Development, and Wen Sha, our former Vice President of Marketing. Huajun Ai, our current Corporate Secretary, is also a part owner of Northtech. As amended on December 21, 2012, the Credit Agreement provides for borrowings of up to $2,500,000 with any amounts borrowed maturing on April 30, 2014. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are secured by 55% of the equity interest in each of our wholly-, directly-owned subsidiaries and are repayable, at our option, in shares of our common stock. On December 21, 2012, we elected to repay $1,301,300 of the $1,384,455 outstanding under the Credit Agreement with 1,300,000 restricted shares of our common stock, 22.67% of our total issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock, as authorized by the Credit Agreement and approved by our shareholders.

On December 31, 2014, the Company closed the transactions contemplated by the Equity Interest Purchase Agreement discussed above (See Sale of Equity Interests). The buyers consist of a group of 25 natural persons, all of whom are PRC. citizens, including Wen Sha, Jun Wang and Xudong Wang, managers of the Company’s subsidiaries engaged in the PHE segment of its business, and Huajuan Ai and Yingkai Wang, the Company’s Corporate Secretary and Acting Chief Accountant, respectively. 

Except as disclosed above, there were no transactions with any related persons (as that term is defined in Item 404 in Regulation S-K) during 2017 or 2016, or any currently proposed transaction, in which we were or are to be a participant and the amount involved was in excess of $120,000 and in which any related person had a direct or indirect material interest.

Our written policy for related party transactions provides that we will enter into or ratify a transaction with a related party only when our Board of Directors, acting through the Audit Committee, determines that the transaction is in the best interests of the company and our shareholders. The policy requires the review and approval by our Audit Committee for any transaction in which (i) the aggregate amount involved will or may be expected to exceed $120,000 in any fiscal year, (ii) we are a participant and (iii) any related person has or will have a direct or indirect interest. Related persons include our executive officers, directors, director nominees, persons known to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding common stock or immediate family members of any of the foregoing persons. In determining whether to approve or ratify a transaction with a related party, the Audit Committee will take into account, among other relevant factors, whether the transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third party under the same or similar circumstances. If advance approval of a transaction is not feasible, the Audit Committee may approve and ratify the transaction in accordance with the policy. Any member of the Audit Committee who is a related party with respect to a transaction under review may not participate in the deliberations or vote on the approval of the transaction.

Director Independence

Our Board of Directors has determined that each of Weiguo Wang, Xin Li and Qingtai Kong is an independent director as defined by the listing standards of NASDAQ currently in effect and all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC. We have established the following standing committees of the Board of Directors: Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance. All members of the Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees satisfy the independence standards applicable to members of each such committee. The Board of Directors made this affirmative determination regarding these directors’ independence based on discussions with the directors and on its review of the directors’ responses to a standard questionnaire regarding employment and compensation history; affiliations, family and other relationships; and transactions between us and the directors, if any. The Board of Directors considered relationships and transactions between each director, or any member of his immediate family, and our company, our subsidiaries and our affiliates. The purpose of the Board of Director’s review with respect to each director was to determine whether any such relationships or transactions were inconsistent with a determination that the director is independent under NASDAQ rules.

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services

Our Audit Committee selected MJF & Associates as the independent registered certified public accounting firm to audit the books and accounts of our company and subsidiaries for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017. MJF & Associates has served as our independent accountant since January 12, 2015. The following table presents the aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by MJF & Associates for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

In the above table, “audit fees” are fees billed for services provided related to the audit of our annual financial statements, quarterly reviews of our interim financial statements and services normally provided by the independent accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal periods. “Audit-related fees” are fees not included in audit fees that are billed by the independent accountant for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our financial statements. “Tax fees” are fees billed by the independent accountant for professional services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning. “All other fees” are fees billed by the independent accountant for products and services not included in the foregoing categories.

Audit Committee’s Pre-Approval Policy

The Audit Committee pre-approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by the independent accountants. These services may include audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services. The Audit Committee has adopted a written policy for the pre-approval of services provided by the independent accountants, under which policy the Audit Committee generally pre-approves services for up to one year and any pre-approval is detailed as to the particular service or category of services and is subject to a specific budget. In addition, the Audit Committee may also pre-approve particular services on a case-by-case basis. For each proposed service, the independent accountant is required to provide detailed back-up documentation at the time of approval. The Audit Committee may delegate pre-approval authority to one or more of its members. Such a member must report any decisions to the Audit Committee at the next scheduled meeting.

PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules

SMARTHEAT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 SMARTHEAT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

SMARTHEAT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS 

SMARTHEAT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017 AND 2016

SMARTHEAT INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

DECEMBER 31, 2017 AND 2016

1. ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

SmartHeat Inc., formerly known as Pacific Goldrim Resources, Inc. (the “Company” or “SmartHeat”), was incorporated on August 4, 2006, in the State of Nevada and at that time had little or no operations. On April 14, 2008 we changed our name to SmartHeat Inc. and acquired all of the equity interests in Taiyu, at that time a leading developer of plate heat exchangers (“PHEs”) and PHE Units in China.  Taiyu was formed in July 2002 under the laws of China and is headquartered in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, China.  The Company, through its operating subsidiaries in China and Germany, formerly designed, manufactured, sold PHEs, PHE Units, temperature sensors, valves and automated control systems, heat meters and heat pumps for use in commercial and residential buildings until the sale of certain of its subsidiaries effective December 31, 2014.

On August 23, 2013, the Company formed two new wholly-owned subsidiaries in the State of Nevada, Heat HP Inc., and HEAT PHE Inc. On the same date, the Company’s United States (“US”) parent entered into Assignment Agreements with Heat HP Inc. and Heat PHE Inc., respectively. Under the Assignment Agreements, the Company transferred 100% of its right, title and interest in certain subsidiaries to Heat HP Inc. and Heat PHE Inc. The reorganization was performed so the Company’s subsidiaries would be organized along their respective operating segments with Heat HP holding those subsidiaries that operated in the heat pumps and related products segment and Heat PHE holding those subsidiaries that operated in the plate heating equipment, meters and related products segment.

After the assignment, Heat HP Inc. owned 100% of SmartHeat (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (“SmartHeat Investment”), SmartHeat (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd. (“SmartHeat Trading”), Beijing SmartHeat Jinhui Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (“Jinhui”), SmartHeat Deutschland GmbH (“SmartHeat Germany”), and 98.8% of SmartHeat (Shenyang) Heat Pump Technology Co., Ltd. (“SmartHeat Pump”).

After the assignment, Heat PHE Inc. owned 100% of SmartHeat Taiyu (Shenyang) Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (“Taiyu”), SanDeKe Co., Ltd., (“SanDeKe”), SmartHeat Siping Beifang Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (“SmartHeat Siping”), SmartHeat (Shenyang) Energy Equipment Co., Ltd. (“SmartHeat Energy”), and 51% of Hohhot Ruicheng Technology Co., Ltd. (“Ruicheng”).

On August 23, 2013, the Company entered into a Stock Pledge Agreement with Northtech Holdings Inc. (“Northtech”). The Company delivered share certificates to Northtech representing 55% of Heat HP Inc. and Heat PHE Inc. to perfect the security interest in each of the Company’s directly and wholly-owned subsidiaries granted to Northtech as collateral security for all of the obligations of the Company to Northtech.

In December 2013, SmartHeat US parent incorporated SmartHeat Heat Exchange Equipment Co. (“Heat Exchange”) in China with registered capital of $3.00 million for manufacturing and sale of PHE and PHE related products.

On December 30, 2013, the Company, closed the transaction contemplated by the Equity Interest Purchase Agreement (“EIPA”) dated October 10, 2013, whereby the buyers purchased 40% of the Company’s equity interests in the following PHE segment subsidiaries: Taiyu; SmartHeat Siping; SmartHeat Energy; Ruicheng; and XinRui (collectively, the “Target Companies”). The purchase price was RMB 5 million ($0.82 million). XinRui was 46% owned by SmartHeat US parent prior to the 40% equity interest sale.

On November 28, 2014, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated EIPA, which amended and restated the EIPA dated October 10, 2013 between the Company and the buyers. Under the terms of the Amended EIPA, the buyers agreed to purchase the remaining 60% of the Company’s equity interests in the Target Companies effective as of December 31, 2014 (the “Closing Date”). The purchase price for the remaining 60% consists of: (i) RMB 8.5 million ($1.4 million) and (ii) the forgiveness of all net indebtedness of $11.75 million owed to the Target Companies by SmartHeat and each of its other subsidiaries as of December 31, 2014 subject to termination provisions as set forth in EIPA.

The effectiveness of the transaction was subject to the following conditions: (i) approval of its shareholders and (ii) receipt by the Board of Directors (“BOD” or the “Board”) of the Company of an opinion that the purchase and sale transaction was fair to the shareholders of SmartHeat from a financial point of view. The parties executed a mutual release to be delivered at the closing which provided, in part, for the target companies to forgive all net indebtedness of $11.75 million from SmartHeat and all of its other subsidiaries. In the event that the conditions were not met prior to December 31, 2014, the consideration and all documents were to be deposited into escrow and released when the conditions were satisfied; provided that if the conditions were not satisfied on or before March 31, 2015, either party was able to terminate the Amended EIPA and the funds and documents were to be returned to the depositing party. The termination deadline of the Amended EIPA was extended to May 15, 2015.

On May 11, 2015, the Company’s stockholders approved the sale of all of the remaining interests, constituting 100% of its ownership interests, (the “Stock Sale”) of certain subsidiaries of the Company as described above, all of the conditions precedents to the Stock Sale were satisfied. The parties executed a mutual release which became effective and provided, in part, that the Target Companies forgave all net indebtedness from SmartHeat and all of its other subsidiaries owed to the Target Companies. The consideration and all documents relating to the transaction were released from escrow upon the satisfaction of the foregoing conditions.  The buyers consisted of 25 natural persons, all of whom are PRC citizens, including Wen Sha, Jun Wang and Xudong Wang, managers of the Company’s subsidiaries engaged in the PHE segment of its business, and Huajun Ai and Yingkai Wang, the Company’s Corporate Secretary and Acting Chief Accountant, respectively. Huajun Ai, Wen Sha, Jun Wang and Xudong Wang are also principals in Northtech.  

On January 20, 2016, SmartHeat Pump entered and closed a Share Purchase Agreement with a series of buyers to sell 85% of the equity shares of SmartHeat Germany for Euro 170,000 ($185,400).  The purchasing price of Euro 170,000 was returned to the buyers and subsequently paid into SmartHeat Germany as reserve by the buyers. The buyers are not related parties of the Company. SmartHeat Germany had continuous losses and the management decided to sell at a minimal or no cost due to its higher operating cost (See note 19).

During the year ended December 31, 2016, SmartHeat Pump decided to file for bankruptcy protection in China due to the slowdown of the business. SmartHeat Pump is preparing bankruptcy documents to be filed with the proper authorities in China, and expects the bankruptcy process to last for a few years before obtaining the final approval.  Accordingly, the Company reclassified SmartHeat Pump business as discontinued operations and made an impairment reserve for its assets including accounts receivable, retentions receivable, other receivables, advance to suppliers, inventory, deferred tax assets, fixed assets and intangible assets (See note 18).

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”).

The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant inter-company transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments (which include all significant normal and recurring adjustments) necessary to present a fair statement of the Company’s consolidated financial position as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, its consolidated results of operations and cash flows for years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, as applicable, have been made.

Principles of Consolidation 

For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, the accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of SmartHeat’s US parent, its subsidiaries Heat HP and Heat PHE, and their subsidiaries SanDeKe, Jinhui, SmartHeat Investment, SmartHeat Trading, SmartHeat Germany (until January 20, 2016), SmartHeat Pump, and Heat Exchange, which are collectively referred to as the “Company.” All significant intercompany accounts and transactions were eliminated in consolidation.

Going Concern

The Company has incurred significant recurring losses from operations in the past several years, including a net loss from continuing operations of $2,861,575 for the year ended December 31, 2017; and an accumulated deficit of $119,678,979 as of December 31, 2017. These conditions raise a substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.

The Company is currently seeking potential assets, property or businesses to acquire, in a business combination, by reorganization, merger or acquisition.  The plan of operation for the next 12 months is to: (i) consider guidelines of industries in which the Company may have an interest; (ii) adopt a business plan regarding engaging in the business of any selected industry; and (iii) to commence operations through funding and/or the acquisition or business combination with a “going concern” engaged in any industry selected.  The Company is unable to predict the time as to when and if it may actually participate in any specific business endeavor, and the Company will be unable to do so until it determines any particular industry in which the Company may conduct business operations.

Noncontrolling Interest 

The Company follows Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 810, “Consolidation,” which established new standards governing the accounting for and reporting of noncontrolling interests (“NCIs”) in partially owned consolidated subsidiaries and the loss of control of subsidiaries. Certain provisions of this standard indicate, among other things, that NCIs, previously referred to as minority interests, be treated as a separate component of equity, not as a liability, as was previously the case, that increases and decreases in the parent’s ownership interest that leave control intact be treated as equity transactions rather than as step acquisitions or dilution gains or losses and that losses of a partially owned consolidated subsidiary be allocated to the NCI even when such allocation might result in a deficit balance. This standard also required changes to certain presentation and disclosure requirements. Losses attributable to the NCI in a subsidiary may exceed the NCI’s interests in the subsidiary’s equity. The excess attributable to the NCI is attributed to those interests. The NCI shall continue to be attributed its share of losses even if that attribution results in a deficit NCI balance.

On July 27, 2012, the Company entered into a secured, revolving credit facility under the terms of a Secured Credit Agreement with Northtech Holdings Inc., a British Virgin Islands business corporation (“Northtech”) for the Company’s working capital needs.  On December 28, 2015, the Company entered into the Fourth Amendment to the Credit and Security Agreement dated July 27, 2012, as first amended on December 21, 2012 and subsequently amended on August 23, 2013, and July 14, 2014, between the Company and Northtech (see Note 12).  Under the Fourth Amendment, SmartHeat paid loan repayment of $1,000,000, represented by such number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock of Heat HP convertible into 20% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock of Heat HP on fully diluted basis, with a conversion, redemption and liquidation value of $1,000,000, and a 10% cumulative dividend accruing and payable quarterly ($25,000 per quarter).  Accordingly, Northtech became the 20% noncontrolling interest of Heat HP Inc.

Use of Estimates

In preparing the financial statements in conformity with US GAAP, management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates, required by management, include the recoverability of long-lived assets, allowance for doubtful accounts and the reserve for obsolete and slow-moving inventories. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.  

The following table presents in US dollars (“USD”) the amount of cash and equivalents held by the Company as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, based on the jurisdiction of deposit. The Company’s US parent holds cash and equivalents in US bank accounts denominated in USD.

Accounts and Retentions Receivable, net

The Company maintains reserves for potential credit losses on accounts receivable. Management reviews the composition of accounts receivable and analyzes historical bad debts, customer concentrations, customer credit worthiness, current economic trends and changes in customer payment patterns to evaluate the adequacy of these reserves. Based on historical collection activity, the Company had allowances of $1.88 million and $1.89 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had retentions receivable from customers for product quality assurance of $0.18 million and $0.19 million, respectively. The retention rate varies from 5% to 20% of the sales price with variable terms from three to 24 months depending on the shipping date, and for PHE Units, the customer acceptance date of the products and the number of heating seasons that the warranty period covers. The Company had allowances of $0.18 million and $0.19 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Advances to Suppliers, net

The Company makes advances to certain vendors to purchase raw material and equipment for production. The advances are interest-free and unsecured. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had allowances for advances to suppliers of $2.27 million and $2.14 million, respectively.

Inventories, net

Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market, with cost determined on a moving weighted-average basis. The difference is recorded as a cost of goods sold, if the current market value is lower than their historical cost. In addition, the Company makes an inventory impairment provision analysis at each period end for inventory held over 360 days. Cost of work in progress and finished goods comprises direct material, direct labor and an allocated portion of production overheads. 

As part of inventory impairment analysis, the Company performs an evaluation of raw materials stored over one year and not anticipated to be consumed, and an evaluation of potential impairment to the quality of these raw materials. If management anticipates that obsolete raw materials in inventory can be utilized and will be consumed within the next six months through new customer orders or substitute orders, no impairment is recorded. The Company collects information about delayed and canceled contracts and meets with affected customers to discuss their financing situation and their projections of future orders. Finished goods manufactured for delayed and canceled contracts that the Company does not expect to be reinstated and contracts for which the Company has been unable to find substitute customers become impaired. Following the completion of the impairment analysis, the Company had inventory impairment allowance of $7.44 million and $7.00 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The Company recorded inventory impairment provision of $0.01 million and inventory impairment provision of $0.74 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, which was included in the cost of sales.  The Company also recorded inventory impairment provision of $1.38 million for discontinued operations for the years ended December 31, 2016.

Property and Equipment, net

Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred; additions, renewals and betterments are capitalized. When property and equipment are retired or otherwise disposed of, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the respective accounts and any gain or loss is included in operations. Depreciation of property and equipment is provided using the straight-line method with a 10% salvage value and estimated lives as follows: 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets, which include tangible assets, such as property and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.

Recoverability of long-lived assets to be held and used is measured by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized based on the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value (“FV”) of the assets. FV generally is determined using the asset’s expected future discounted cash flows or market value, if readily determinable. 

Warranties

The Company offers all customers standard warranties on its products for one or two heating seasons depending on the terms negotiated. The Company accrues for warranty costs based on estimates of the costs that may be incurred under its warranty obligations. The warranty expense and related accrual is included in the Company’s selling expenses and other payables respectively, and is recorded when revenue is recognized. Factors that affect the Company’s warranty liability include the number of units sold, its estimates of anticipated rates of warranty claims, costs per claim and estimated support labor costs and the associated overhead. The Company periodically assesses the adequacy of its recorded warranty liabilities and adjusts the amounts as necessary.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development (“R&D”) costs are expensed as incurred and included in general and administrative (“G&A”) expenses. These costs primarily consist of cost of materials used, salaries paid for the Company’s development department and fees paid to third parties. R&D costs for years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 were $0.

Income Taxes

The Company utilizes FASB ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for expected future tax consequences of events included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences in future years of differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts at each period end based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

When tax returns are filed, it is likely that some positions taken would be sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities, while others are subject to uncertainty about the merits of the position taken or the amount of the position that would be ultimately sustained. The benefit of a tax position is recognized in the financial statements in the period during which, based on all available evidence, management believes it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including the resolution of appeals or litigation processes, if any. Tax positions taken are not offset or aggregated with other positions. Tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold are measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon settlement with the applicable taxing authority. The portion of the benefits associated with tax positions taken that exceeds the amount measured as described above is reflected as a liability for unrecognized tax benefits in the accompanying balance sheets along with any associated interest and penalties that would be payable to the taxing authorities upon examination.

Interest associated with unrecognized tax benefits is classified as interest expense and penalties are classified as selling, general and administrative expense in the statements of operation. At December 31, 2017, the Company had not taken any significant uncertain tax position on its tax returns for 2016 or prior years, or in computing its tax provision for 2017.

Revenue Recognition

The Company’s revenue recognition policies comply with FASB ASC Topic 605, “Revenue Recognition.” Sales revenue is recognized when PHEs, heat meters and heat pumps are delivered, and for PHE Units when customer acceptance occurs, the price is fixed or determinable, no other significant obligations of the Company exist and collectability is reasonably assured. Payments received before all of the relevant criteria for revenue recognition met are recorded as unearned revenue under “Advance from customers.” For the years ended December 31, 2017, the Company only sold PHEs.  For the years ended December 31, 2016, the Company only sold PHEs and heat pumps.

The Company’s sales generally provide for 30% of the purchase price on placement of an order, 30% on delivery, 30% upon installation and acceptance of the equipment after customer testing and 10% no later than the termination of the standard warranty period, which ranges from three to 24 months from the acceptance date. 

Sales revenue is the invoiced value of goods, net of value-added tax (“VAT”). All of the Company’s products sold in the PRC are subject to a VAT of 17% of gross sales price. This VAT may be offset by the VAT paid by the Company on raw materials and other materials purchased in China and included in the cost of producing the Company’s finished product. The Company recorded VAT payable and VAT receivable net of payments in the financial statements. The Company files VAT tax returns online with PRC tax authorities and offsets the payables against the receivables. SmartHeat Germany, the Company’s German subsidiary, is subject to 19% VAT.

Sales and purchases are recorded net of VAT collected and paid as the Company acts as an agent for the government. VAT taxes are not affected by the income tax holiday.

Sales returns and allowances were $0 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016. The Company does not provide a right of return, price protection or any other concessions to its customers.

The Company provides a warranty to all customers, which is not considered an additional service; rather, an integral part of the product’s sale. The Company believes the existence of its product warranty in a sales contract does not constitute a deliverable in the arrangement and thus there is no need to apply the FASB ASC Subtopic 605-25 separation and allocation model for a multiple deliverable arrangement. FASB ASC Topic 450, “Contingencies,” specifically addresses the accounting for standard warranties. The Company believes that accounting for its standard warranty pursuant to FASB ASC Topic 450 does not impact revenue recognition because the cost of honoring the warranty can be reliably estimated.

The Company charges for after-sales services provided after the expiration of the warranty period, with after-sales services mainly consisting of cleaning PHEs and repairing and exchanging parts. The Company recognizes such revenue when the service is provided.  Such revenue was recorded in other income, net of cost for after-sales services.

Cost of Sales

Cost of sales (“COS”) consists primarily of material costs and direct labor and manufacturing overhead directly attributable to the products. The Company also records reserve for inventories to COS.

Advances from Customers

The Company records payments received from customers in advance of their orders to advance account. These orders normally are delivered within a reasonable period of time based upon contract terms and customer demand.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Cash includes cash on hand and demand deposits in accounts maintained within China. Balances at financial institutions within China are not covered by insurance. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts.

Certain other financial instruments, which subject the Company to concentration of credit risk, consist of accounts and other receivables. The Company does not require collateral or other security to support these receivables. The Company conducts periodic reviews of its customers’ financial condition and customer payment practices to minimize collection risk on accounts receivable.

The operations of the Company are located primarily in China. Accordingly, the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations may be influenced by the political, economic and legal environments in China, as well as by the general state of the PRC economy.

Statement of Cash Flows

In accordance with FASB ASC Topic 230, “Statement of Cash Flows,” cash flows from the Company’s operations are calculated based upon the local currencies. As a result, amounts shown on the statement of cash flows may not necessarily agree with changes in the corresponding asset and liability on the balance sheet.

Basic and Diluted Earnings (Loss) per Share (EPS)

Basic EPS is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS is computed similarly, except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive. Diluted EPS are based on the assumption that all dilutive convertible shares and stock options were converted or exercised. Dilution is computed by applying the treasury stock method. Under this method, options and warrants are assumed to have been exercised at the beginning of the period (or at the time of issuance, if later), and as if funds obtained thereby were used to purchase common stock at the average market price during the period. 

Foreign Currency Translation and Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The accounts of the US parent company are maintained in USD. The functional currency of the Company’s China subsidiaries is the Chinese Yuan Renminbi (“RMB”) and the functional currency of SmartHeat Germany, the Company’s subsidiary in Germany, is the Euro (“EUR”). The accounts of the China subsidiaries and German subsidiary were translated into USD in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 830, “Foreign Currency Matters.” According to FASB ASC Topic 830, all assets and liabilities were translated at the exchange rate on the balance sheet date, stockholders’ equity was translated at the historical rates and statement of operations items were translated at the average exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustments are reported under other comprehensive income in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 220, “Comprehensive Income.”

The Company sold 85% equity interest of SmartHeat Germany on January 20, 2016. According to ASC 830-30-40-1, upon the sale of a subsidiary, accumulated foreign currency translation adjustment relating to the disposed entities as of January 20, 2016 amounting to $0.68 million was reported separately in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) as cumulative foreign currency translation gain on disposed entities, and was part of the loss on sale.  

RMB to USD and EUR to USD (until January 20, 2016) exchange rates in effect as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the average exchange rates for years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 are as following. The exchange rates used in translation from RMB to USD were published by State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE”) of the PRC.

Segment Reporting

FASB ASC Topic 280, “Segment Reporting,” requires use of the “management approach” model for segment reporting. The management approach model is based on the way a company’s management organizes segments within the company for making operating decisions and assessing performance. Reportable segments are based on products and services, geography, legal structure, management structure, or any other manner in which management disaggregates a company. The Company had one operating segment at December 31, 2017, which is PHE.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers.  ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive revenue recognition standard that will supersede nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under current U.S. GAAP and replace it with a principle-based approach for determining revenue recognition.  ASU 2014-09 will require that companies recognize revenue based on the value of transferred goods or services as they occur in the contract.  The ASU also will require additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract.  ASU 2014-09 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017.   Early adoption is permitted only in annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods therein.  Entities will be able to transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption.  The Company does not believe the adoption of this ASU will have a significant impact on its CFS.

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The guidance in ASU 2016-02 supersedes the lease recognition requirements in ASC Topic 840, Leases (FAS 13). ASU 2016-02 requires an entity to recognize assets and liabilities arising from a lease for both financing and operating leases, along with additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect this standard will have on its CFS.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 clarifies the presentation and classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments in the statement of cash flows. This ASU is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of ASU 2016-15 on its CFS.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16—Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory. This ASU improves the accounting for the income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. For public business entities, the amendments in this update are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not anticipate that the adoption of this ASU will have a significant impact on its CFS.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash. The guidance requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The standard should be applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. The Company does not anticipate that the adoption of this ASU will have a significant impact on its CFS.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which clarifies the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions or disposals of assets or businesses. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The standard should be applied prospectively on or after the effective date. The Company will evaluate the impact of adopting this standard prospectively upon any transactions of acquisitions or disposals of assets or businesses. 

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The guidance removes Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. The guidance should be adopted on a prospective basis for the annual or any interim goodwill impairment tests beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this standard on its CFS.

Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB, including its Emerging Issues Task Force, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the SEC did not or are not believed by management to have a material impact on the Company’s present or future CFS.

Reclassification

Certain prior year amounts were reclassified to conform to the manner of presentation in the current period including discontinuing the operation of SmartHeat Pump. These reclassifications had no effect on the Company’s balance sheet, net loss or stockholders’ equity (deficit).

3. INVENTORIES, NET

Inventories at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, were as follows: 

As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, SmartHeat Pump’s inventory was fully reserved as a result of its discontinued operation.

4. NOTES RECEIVABLE – BANK ACCEPTANCES

The Company sold goods to its customers and received commercial notes (bank acceptances) from them in lieu of payments. The Company discounted the commercial notes with the banks or endorsed the commercial notes to vendors for payment of their own obligations or to get cash from third parties. Most of the commercial notes have a maturity of less than nine months. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company was contingently liable for the notes endorsed to vendors of $0, respectively.

5. OTHER RECEIVABLES (NET), PREPAYMENTS AND DEPOSITS

Other receivables, prepayments and deposits consisted of the following at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively:

Advances to unrelated third-party companies were short-term unsecured advances.

Prepayment for freight and related insurance expenses represented prepaid shipping and freight insurance expenses for customers and is generally repaid upon customer receipt of products.

Advances to employees represented short-term loans to employees and advances for business trips and related expenses, with no interest, payable upon demand.

As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, as a result of discontinued operation for SmartHeat Pump, other receivables of SmartHeat Pump including advance to employees was fully reserved as bad debt allowance.

6. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET

Property and equipment consisted of the following at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively:

Depreciation expense including SmartHeat Germany (prior to disposition on January 20, 2016) and SmartHeat Pump prior to their discontinued operation in 2016 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $5,738 and $43,461, respectively.

7. INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET

Intangible assets consisted mainly of trademarks, computer software and know-how technology. Intangible assets consisted of the following at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively:

Amortization of intangible assets including that of SmartHeat Germany (prior to disposition on January 20, 2016) and SmartHeat Pump (prior to discontinued operation in 2016) for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $0 and $92,724, respectively.

8. TAXES RECEIVABLE

Taxes receivable consisted of the following at December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively:

9. TAXES PAYABLE

Taxes payable consisted of the following at December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively:

10. ACCRUED LIABILITIES AND OTHER PAYABLES

Accrued liabilities and other payables consisted of the following at December 31,2017 and 2016, respectively:

Advances from third parties were short term, non-interest-bearing and due on demand. 

At December 31, 2017, other mainly represented payables for the Company’s interest payable of $1,471,166 to Northtech and dividend payable of $200,000 to Northtech.  At December 31, 2016, other mainly consisted of interest payable of $1,042,159 to Northtech and dividend payable of $100,000 to Northtech.

As of December 31, 2017, accrued expenses mainly consisted of accrued property and land rental fee of $2.82 million and accrued payroll of $0.35 million. As of December 31, 2016, accrued expenses mainly consisted of accrued property and land rental fee of $2.65 million, and accrued payroll of $0.35 million.

11. CREDIT LINE PAYABLE (RELATED PARTY TRANSACTION)

On July 27, 2012, the Company entered into a secured, revolving credit facility under the terms of a Secured Credit Agreement (the “Credit Facility” or the “Credit Agreement”) with Northtech Holdings Inc., a British Virgin Islands business corporation (“Northtech”), owned by certain members of the Company’s former management, James Wang, Rhett Wang and Wen Sha, Jane Ai, the Company’s Corporate Secretary is also a part owner of Northtech. As amended on December 21, 2012, the Credit Facility provides for borrowings of up to $2.5 million. 

An origination fee of 4% of the Committed Amount was accrued to Northtech upon the signing of the Credit Agreement. As amended, Borrowings bear interest of 10%, payable quarterly, and the Credit Facility matured on April 30, 2013, and extended to April 30, 2014 with an extension fee of 4% of the Committed Amount. Generally, borrowings may be prepaid at any time without premium or penalty, provided however that if the Company prepays any amount due under the Credit Facility from the proceeds of another instrument or agreement of indebtedness, the Company shall pay a 10% prepayment fee. All amounts due under the Credit Facility may, at the Company’s option, be paid in either cash or restricted shares of the Company’s common stock.

On June 25, 2013, the BOD approved a second amendment to the credit and security agreement and on August 23, 2013, the Company entered into a second amendment to the credit and security agreement with Northtech, which redefined the “base rate”, and adjusted the base rate to 10% annually, compounded quarterly, effective January 1, 2013. The Company delivered to Northtech 100,000 restricted shares of the Company’s common stock as an Amendment Fee, issued in September 2013.

On March 26, 2014, the Company gave notice to Northtech pursuant to the terms of the Credit and Security Agreement between the Company and Northtech, dated July 27, 2012, as amended, extending the maturity date on the Credit Agreement from April 30, 2014 to January 3, 2015. The Company elected to pay the extension fee of 4% of the credit line amount of $2.5 million by issuing 200,000 shares of its common stock to Northtech at $0.50 per share (equal to $100,000). The BOD approved such extension on March 27, 2014. The FV of 200,000 shares on March 27, 2014 was $30,000. The Company recorded $70,000 gain from issuance of 200,000 shares.

On July 14, 2014, the BOD approved and the Company entered the third amendment to the Credit Agreement with Northtech, the Amendment modified the definition of “Average Share Price” in the Credit Agreement to decrease the minimum and maximum values for the “Average Share Price,” by 20% each from $0.50 to $0.40 and from $3.50 to $2.80, respectively. The Amendment also increased the maximum line, which may be borrowed under the Credit Agreement from $2,500,000 to $3,250,000 and extended the maturity date for amounts borrowed from April 30, 2014 to October 31, 2015. Pursuant to the terms of the Amendment, the Company extended the Initial Maturity Date by a payment to Northtech of an extension fee of 4% of the Maximum Line under the Credit Agreement. Northtech agreed to the extension of the maturity in consideration of an extension fee of 200,000 Restricted Shares of the Company’s Common Stock at $0.50 per share issued on July 22, 2014. The FV of 200,000 shares on July 22, 2014 was $40,000. The Company recorded $60,000 gain from issuance of the 200,000 shares.

On December 28, 2015, the Company entered into the Fourth Amendment to the Credit and Security Agreement dated July 27, 2012, as first amended on December 21, 2012 and subsequently amended on August 23, 2013, and July 14, 2014, between the Company and Northtech.  The Amendment provides that SmartHeat to pay 1) an extension fee of $100,000 for Northtech extending the maturity date to July 31, 2016 and a loan re-payment of $500,000 of outstanding principal (for a total payment of $600,000), represented by the delivery by the Company of 1,500,000 restricted shares of Common Stock at a price of $0.40 per share; 2) loan repayment of $1,000,000, represented by such number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock of Heat HP convertible into 20% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock of Heat HP on fully diluted basis, with a conversion, redemption and liquidation value of $1,000,000, and a 10% cumulative dividend accruing and payable quarterly ($25,000 per quarter).  In addition, the parties agreed to adjust the minimum conversion/exchange price in the Amendment from $0.40 to $0.20 per share and the maximum conversion/exchange price from $2.80 to $1.40 to reflect the current market conditions of the stock.  The new maximum credit line was reduced to $2,500,000.

On July 31, 2016, the Company entered into the Fifth Amendment to the Credit and Security Agreement between the Company and Northtech. The Amendment increased the maximum credit line of the Credit Agreement to $3,500,000 and extended the maturity dated to October 31, 2017.  The Company agreed to pay to Northtech an amendment fee of $80,000 payable in 400,000 restricted shares of the Company’s Common Stock valued at $0.20 per share.  The Amendment received the approval of a majority of shareholders of the Company in a vote held at the meeting of the stockholders on September 10, 2016.

As of December 31, 2017, Northtech owns 43.5% of the Company as a result of shares received from the Company for loan repayment and extension fee.  In addition, Northtech became the 20% noncontrolling interest of Heat HP as a result of $1,000,000 loan repayment by issuing Series A Preferred Stock of Heat HP which can be convertible into 20% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock of Heat HP on fully diluted basis, as described above.

As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had credit line payable to Northtech of $2,875,335.

12. DEFERRED TAX ASSET

As of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, deferred tax asset (liability) consisted of the following:

The Company recorded a 100% valuation allowance for all deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty of its realization.

13. INCOME TAXES

The Company is subject to income taxes by entity on income arising in or derived from the tax jurisdiction in which each entity is domiciled. The Company’s PRC subsidiaries file their income tax returns online with PRC tax authorities.

SmartHeat, the parent company, was incorporated in the US and has net operating losses (“NOL”) for income tax purposes, which can be carried forward for up to 20 years from the year the loss is incurred. SmartHeat has NOL carry forwards for income taxes of approximately $10.33 million at December 31, 2017, which may be available to reduce future years’ taxable income. Management believes the realization of benefits from these losses remains uncertain due to SmartHeat’s limited operating history and continuing losses. Accordingly, a 100% deferred tax asset valuation allowance was provided.

SanDeKe, Jinhui, SmartHeat Investment, SmartHeat Pump, SmartHeat Trading and Heat Exchange are subject to the regular 25% PRC income tax rate. SmartHeat Germany is subject to a 15% corporate income tax in Germany.

The following table reconciles the US statutory rates to the Company’s effective tax (benefit) rate for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016:

The income tax expense (benefit) for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, consisted of the following:

14. STATUTORY RESERVES AND RESTRICTED NET ASSETS

The Company’s ability to pay dividends primarily depends on the Company receiving funds from its subsidiaries. Relevant PRC statutory laws and regulations permit payments of dividends by the Company’s PRC subsidiaries only out of the subsidiary’s retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. The results of operations reflected in the financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP differ from those reflected in the statutory financial statements of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries.

In accordance with the PRC Regulations on Enterprises with Foreign Investment and their articles of association, a foreign-invested enterprise (“FIE”) established in the PRC is required to provide certain statutory reserves, which are appropriated from net profit as reported in the FIE’s PRC statutory accounts. An FIE is required to allocate at least 10% of its annual after-tax profit to the surplus reserve until such reserve has reached 50% of its respective registered capital based on the FIE’s PRC statutory accounts. Appropriations to other funds are at the discretion of the BOD for all FIEs. The aforementioned reserves can only be used for specific purposes and are not distributable as cash dividends. Additionally, shareholders of an FIE are required to contribute capital to satisfy the registered capital requirement of the FIE. Until such contribution of capital is satisfied, the FIE is not allowed to repatriate profits to its shareholders, unless otherwise approved by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. SanDeKe, Jinhui, and SmartHeat Investment were established as FIEs and therefore are subject to the above-mandated restrictions on distributable profits. The Company met all registered capital requirements for its FIEs except for SmartHeat Investment, for which the Company is committed to contribute an additional $40 million in registered capital by the end of 2017 (See note 16); as of this report date, the Company got oral agreement from the authority to extend the due date of capital contribution to the end of 2019.

Additionally, in accordance with the Company Laws of the PRC, a domestic enterprise is required to provide surplus reserve at least 10% of its annual after-tax profit until such reserve has reached 50% of its respective registered capital based on the enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts. A domestic enterprise is also required to provide discretionary surplus reserve, at the discretion of the BOD, from the profits determined in accordance with the enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts. The aforementioned reserves can only be used for specific purposes and are not distributable as cash dividends. SmartHeat Trading and SmartHeat Pump were established as domestic enterprises and therefore are subject to the above-mentioned restrictions on distributable profits.

As a result of these PRC laws and regulations that require annual appropriations of 10% of after-tax income to be set aside prior to payment of dividends as general reserve fund, the Company’s PRC subsidiaries are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to the Company as a dividend.

15. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY 

On July 31, 2016, the Company entered into the Fifth Amendment to the Credit and Security Agreement between the Company and Northtech. The Amendment increased the maximum credit line of the Credit Agreement to $3,500,000 and extended the maturity dated to October 31, 2017.  The Company agreed to pay to Northtech an amendment fee of $80,000 payable in 400,000 restricted shares of the Company’s Common Stock valued at $0.20 per share.  The Amendment received the approval of a majority of shareholders of the Company in a vote held at the meeting of the stockholders on September 10, 2016.

16. COMMITMENTS

Lease Agreements

The Company leased offices for its sales representatives in several different cities under various one-year, non-cancellable and renewable operating lease agreements. Rental expense for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $86,451 and $949,415, respectively.

Capital Contribution

The Company formed SmartHeat Investment on April 7, 2010, as an investment holding company with registered capital of $70 million to enable its establishment and investment in new businesses in China. Under PRC company law, registered capital must be used in the operations of the domestic company within its approved business scope. SmartHeat Investment was established as a separate subsidiary of the Company to allow allocation of capital to new businesses in China separate from its existing subsidiaries and operations. As a PRC investment holding company, the $70 million in approved registered capital of SmartHeat Investment is deemed a planned investment amount for the entity, not a traditional registered capital requirement under PRC corporate law. The Company contributed $30 million in capital to SmartHeat Investment on April 15, 2010, from proceeds of its public offering that closed on September 22, 2009. As of December 31, 2017, the Company is committed to contributing the remaining $40 million in registered capital to SmartHeat Investment by the end of 2017; as of this report date, the Company got oral agreement from the authority to extend the due date of capital contribution to the end of 2019. The Company may satisfy this contribution through cash flow provided by operations, sales of assets, such as physical assets, financial assets, or interests in its subsidiaries, and funds raised through offerings of its securities, if and when the Company determines such offerings are required, and at such time that the Company identifies a new acquisition, investment or business opportunity to be financed through SmartHeat Investment, although no specific investment candidate has been identified to date.

17. CONTINGENCIES

The Company’s operations in the PRC are subject to specific considerations and significant risks not typically associated with companies in North America and Western Europe. These include risks associated with, among others, the political, economic and legal environments in China and foreign currency exchange. The Company’s results may be adversely affected by changes in PRC government policies with respect to laws and regulations, anti-inflationary measures, currency conversion and remittance abroad and rates and methods of taxation, among other things.

The Company’s sales, purchases and expense transactions in China are denominated in RMB and all of the Company’s assets and liabilities in China are also denominated in RMB. The RMB is not freely convertible into foreign currencies under the current PRC law. In China, foreign exchange transactions are required by law to be transacted only by authorized financial institutions. Remittances in currencies other than RMB may require certain supporting documentation in order to affect the remittance. 

18. DISCONTINUED OPERATION OF SMARTHEAT PUMP

During the year ended December 31, 2016, SmartHeat Pump decided to file bankruptcy due to the slowdown of the business, SmartHeat Pump is currently preparing the bankruptcy documents to be filed with the authority, and is expecting the bankruptcy process to last for a few years before obtaining the final approval; accordingly, the Company reclassified SmartHeat Pump business as discontinued operations and made impairment reserve for its assets including accounts receivable, retentions receivable, other receivables, advance to suppliers, inventory, deferred tax assets, fixed assets and intangible assets.

The following table summarizes the carrying value of the assets and liabilities of SmartHeat Pump at December 31, 2016.

19. DISPOSAL OF SUBSIDIARIES

On January 20, 2016, SmartHeat Pump entered and closed a Share Purchase Agreement with a series of buyers to sell 85% of the equity shares of SmartHeat Germany for Euro 170,000 ($185,400).  The purchasing price of Euro 170,000 was returned to the buyers and subsequently paid into SmartHeat Germany as reserve by the buyers.

The following table summarizes the 85% of the carrying value of the assets and liabilities disposed of in SmartHeat Germany at the closing date of disposal. The excess of the carrying value of the net assets disposed over the selling price of $2,082,665 was recorded as disposal loss.

20. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

On June 14, 2018, SmartHeat entered into the Sixth Amendment (the “Amendment”) to the Credit and Security Agreement dated July 27, 2012, as amended (the “Credit Agreement”), between the Company and Northtech.

In October of 2017, The Company entered into negotiations with Northtech in order to restructure the terms of the Credit Agreement. On October 31, 2017 the Credit Line was not extended, and the parties continued negotiations.  The parties have agreed that Northtech will convert all outstanding interest and principal due under the Credit Agreement into the Company's common stock at a conversion price of $.065 per share, which represents a premium of $.0649 to the thirty-day average closing price of the Company's common stock of $.0001 per share.  In addition, the parties agreed to reduce the maximum credit line under the Credit Agreement to $1,000,000 and extended the maturity date to December 31, 2018. Further conversion of any outstanding principal and interest under the Credit Agreement will be based on conversion price subject to a minimum of $.065 per share and a maximum of $.50 per share.

As a result of the entering into the Amendment, the Company will issue to Northtech 71,283,000 restricted shares of its common stock which will result in Northtech and Mr. Jimin Zhang, sole stockholder and director of Northtech, holding approximately 95% of all of the issued and outstanding common stock of the Company after giving effect to the transaction. Upon the issuance of the common stock to Northtech, the interest and principal due to Northtech will be reduced to zero, subject to additional disbursements thereunder.

The Amendment is required to receive the approval of a majority of shareholders of the Company in a vote to be held at the next meeting of the stockholders. In the event approval is not received, it will be considered an event of default under the Credit Agreement. 

EXHIBIT INDEX