The Securities and Exchange Commission charged defunct company China MediaExpress and its chief executive officer on Thursday with misleading investors, the agency's latest case alleging fraud at a U.S.-listed China-based company.
The SEC alleges that China MediaExpress falsely reported increases in its business operations, profits and overall financial condition as soon as it became a publicly traded company in October 2009 through a backdoor method known as a "reverse merger."
Its chairman and chief executive, Zheng Cheng, also signed and attested to the accuracy of false public filings, and later tried to pay off a senior accountant who was investigating possible fraud at the company, the SEC alleged.
An attorney for the company did not immediately return a call or email seeking comment.
Nasdaq delisted the company's stock In May of 2011. The SEC deregistered its securities in March 2012.
The China MediaExpress case is the latest in a long-running crackdown by the SEC into accounting fraud at China-based companies that are listed on U.S. stock exchanges. Often the companies listed through reverse mergers with dormant shell companies.
Accounting scandals at many of these companies have prompted auditor resignations, and led the SEC to launch investigations into the companies, their executives and their auditors.
To date, the SEC said its Cross-Border Working Group has filed more than 65 fraud cases against companies or executives, and deregistered the securities of more than 50 companies.
The SEC in December charged the Chinese affiliates of Deloitte, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, BDO and Ernst & Young with violating the law by refusing to hand over documents to aid the agency's investigations.
That case is still pending, and a hearing in the SEC's administrative court on the matter is slated for July 8.
In this latest case, the SEC said China MediaExpress falsely claimed in its 2009 annual report that it had $57 million in cash on hand when it only had a cash balance of $141,000. It also misrepresented its cash balances in press releases as well.
After it misrepresented its financial condition, the SEC said the stock price tripled to more than $20 a share. The company's auditor resigned in March 2011.
The company's audit committee launched an internal investigation and hired a Hong Kong forensic accounting firm. The SEC said Zheng tried to bribe the accountant handling the probe with $1.5 million, but the accountant refused.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
UCP, Inc (UCP) began trading on the NYSE on 18 July 2013
Executives and guests of San Jose, Calif.-based UCP, Inc., a homebuilder and land developer, visited the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to celebrate the Company’s initial public offering. UCP, Inc. which began trading on the NYSE under the ticker symbol “UCP.”
Dustin L. Bogue, President and Chief Executive Officer of UCP, Inc. Celebrates their IPO and rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on July 18, 2013 in New York City.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Alcobra (ADHD) began trading on the NASDAQ on 22 May 2013
Alcobra Ltd. (ADHD), an emerging biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on the development and commercialization of a proprietary drug, MG01CI, to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, visited the NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square to celebrate its recent initial public offering (IPO), which occurred on May 22, 2013.
6 weeks after IPO
Monday, July 8, 2013
HD Supply Holdings (HDS) began trading on the NASDAQ on 27 June 2013
Description
HD Supply Holdings, Inc. is an industrial distributor in North America. It operates in four segments: Facilities Maintenance, Waterworks, Power Solutions and White Cap. Facilities Maintenance distributes maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products, provides value-add services and fabricates custom products to multifamily, hospitality, healthcare and institutional facilities. Waterworks distributes complete lines of water and wastewater transmission products, serving contractors and municipalities in the water and wastewater industries for non-residential and residential uses. Power Solutions distributes electrical transmission and distribution products, power plant MRO supplies and smart-grid products, and arranges materials management and procurement outsourcing for the power generation and distribution industries. White Cap distributes specialized hardware, tools, engineered materials and safety products to non-residential and residential contractors.
Address
Suite 1480, 3100 Cumberland Boulevard
ATLANTA, GA 30339
United States
ATLANTA, GA 30339
United States
Website
www.hdsupply.comKey stats and ratios
| Q2 (May '13) | 2013 | |
| Net profit margin | -6.33% | -14.92% |
| Operating margin | 2.90% | -6.70% |
| EBITD margin | - | 8.28% |
| Return on average assets | -7.62% | -17.04% |
| Return on average equity | - | - |
| Employees | 15,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Noodles & Company (NDLS) began trading on the NASDAQ on 28 June 2013
- 6/28/13 : The fast-casual restaurant chain opened up 78% at $32 a share Friday after pricing a day earlier at $18 a share. By midday in New York, the stock price had more than doubled to $37.69 a share.
- Noodles & Co. sold nearly 5.4 million shares, raising $96.4 million. It may still sell additional shares to underwriters.
- This even after Noodles & Co. boosted its expected price range earlier this week to $15 to $17 a share after saying last week that it anticipated a range of $13 to $15 a share.
Description
Noodles & Company is a casual restaurant concept offering lunch and dinner. The Company offers noodle and pasta dishes, staples of many cuisines, with the goal of delivering fresh ingredients and flavors globally under one roof from Pad Thai to Mac & Cheese. The Company’s globally inspired menu includes a variety of cooked-to-order dishes, including noodles and pasta, soups, salads and sandwiches, which are served on china by its friendly team members. As of May 28, 2013, including the 16 Company owned restaurants and one franchise restaurant opened in 2013. The Company opened 39 new company owned restaurants and six franchise restaurants. In 2012, the Company began using Your World Kitchen to describe the breadth of its offering and its customers' dining experience.
Address
Suite D, 520 Zang Street
BROOMFIELD, CO 80021
United States
BROOMFIELD, CO 80021
United States
Ambit Biosciences (AMBI) began trading on the NASDAQ on 16 May 2013
Ambit Biosciences Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company. The Company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs to treat unmet medical needs in oncology, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases by inhibiting kinases that are important drivers for those diseases. The Company’s lead drug candidate, quizartinib, is in Phase IIb clinical development in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The Company’s second drug candidate in clinical development, AC410, is a potent, selective, orally-administered, small molecule inhibitor of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) that has potential utility for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The Company’s third program consists of two selective small molecule compounds, AC708 and AC855, which inhibit the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R), a receptor tyrosine kinase.
Website
www.ambitbio.comAddress
11080 Roselle St.
SAN DIEGO, CA 92121
United States
SAN DIEGO, CA 92121
United States
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