Borqs Technologies Letter to Shareholders Regarding the Divestment of Solar Subsidiary
April 26 2023 - 9:00AM
Dear Shareholders of Borqs Technologies,
Inc.:
The purpose of this letter is to help clarify
the proposed divestment of our company’s ownership in Holu Hou
Energy, LLC (“HHE”) and the implications that this transaction may
have to Borqs and our shareholders.
Why the divestment
As we have stated in prior press releases, the
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) has
notified our company by a letter dated December 13, 2022, that
CFIUS has identified risks to US national security arising as a
result of Borqs’s investment in HHE. CFIUS advised us that the
national security risks arising as a result of Borqs’s investment
transaction with HHE relate to foreign proximity to U.S. military
personnel and installations through HHE's physical access to
customers and their facilities, including at off-base military
housing. CFIUS therefore required Borqs and HHE to enter into a
National Security Agreement with CFIUS, pursuant to which Borqs
must divest its interests in HHE.
Proactive steps by Borqs
In efforts to address the national security
concerns of CFIUS, we have signed a National Security Agreement
with CFIUS identifying all the steps that Borqs shall take in order
to completely remove Borqs’ involvement with HHE, including the
transfer of our ownership in HHE into a Divestment Trust which is
now under the supervision of an independent trustee. We have
appointed Donald R. Kendall, Jr. as our independent trustee
and Mr. Kendall has an extensive background of over four
decades in investment management, including his role as the
Chairperson of the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of
SolarCity, supervising the sale of SolarCity to Tesla, Inc. in 2016
for $2.6 billion. We have also selected a nationally
recognized investment bank for the selling of the HHE interests.
With approval from CFIUS, we have engaged the firm of Cantor
Fitzgerald & Company to be our exclusive investment banker for
our divestment of HHE.
Successful business expansion by Holu
Hou Energy, LLC
Since Borqs’ financial support of HHE, which
began with the acquisition of HHE in October 2021, HHE has signed
multiple contracts with customers in Hawaii for the deployment of
HHE’s solar energy plus storage system and EnergyShare technology
for Multi-Dwelling Residential Units such as the recently announced
Lendlease Island Palm Communities in Honolulu for large military
personnel housing compounds. Installations for these projects are
to begin this summer and when completed will be worth well into
nine figures in sales for HHE which will possibly translate to a
very significant amount in the divestment of the HHE interests by
Borqs.
What this means for Borqs
With HHE’s successful business expansion just in
the State of Hawaii, we are certain that HHE will have a bright
future in other densely populated states with plentiful sunlight
such as California. According to CFIUS’s timing of the divestment,
Borqs is required to complete the sale of the HHE by September of
this year and if approval by CFIUS is granted, there can be a
possible extension of another 6 months. We intend to comply with
all of the requirements of the US government. The divestment, when
completed, is expected to provide a large liquidity position to
Borqs, and management may seek approval from the Board of Directors
to allocate an appropriate amount for buy back of our outstanding
ordinary shares from the market. We believe the current market
price is not reflective of the correct value of the Company.
Where will Borqs be heading
next
The Management at Borqs is committed to
sustainable growth of the Company and creating shareholder value in
the long term. We have seen Borqs as a global company at the very
beginning and will continue to expand our businesses
internationally. Once the divestment is consummated in the coming
months, we plan to evaluate acquisition opportunities in North
America, Europe and Asia in such sectors as cloud-based Internet of
Things (IoT) and robotic and artificial intelligence (AI) that will
bring positive impact to the economy, our society and consumers
globally. In the meantime, we will keep our shareholders abreast of
further developments.
With my warmest regards,Pat ChanChairman &
Chief Executive Officer
Forward-Looking Statements and Additional
Information
This letter to shareholders includes
“forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is
expected. Words such as “forecasts”, “expects”, “believes”,
“anticipates”, “intends”, “estimates”, “predicts”, “seeks”, “may”,
“might”, “plan”, “possible”, “should”, “estimates” and variations
and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such
forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not
mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking
statements relate to future events or future results, based on
currently available information and reflect our management’s
current beliefs. Many factors could cause actual events or results
to differ materially from the events and results discussed in the
forward-looking statements, including the possibility that the
positive financial results from the contract between HHE and IPC
and the proposed divestment as described herein may not be
realized, and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the
Company’s supply chain, revenues and overall results of operations,
so the reader is advised to refer to the Risk Factors sections of
the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission
for additional information identifying important factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in
the forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by
applicable securities law, the Company disclaims any obligation to
update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
Investor Contact:
Sandra DouVice President of Corporate FinanceBorqs Technologies,
Inc.IR@borqs.comwww.borqs.com
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