Correspondence 0001493152-23-018635 from HWH International Inc. (HWH) (CIK 0001897245) (HWH)
HWH International Inc. (HWH) (CIK 0001897245)
Date: May 22, 2023 · CIK: 0001897245 · Accession: 0001493152-23-018635
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
File numbers found in text: 333-267841
Referenced dates: February 28, 2023
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CORRESP
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ALSET CAPITAL ACQUISITION CORP.
4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 210
Bethesda, MD
May
22, 2023
Ms. Nasreen Mohammed and Ms. Angela Lumley
Division of Corporation Finance
Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549
Re:
Alset Capital Acquisition Corp.
Amendment
No. 5 to Registration Statement on Form S-4
Filed April 13, 2023
File No. 333-267841
Dear
Ms. Mohammed and Ms. Lumley:
On
behalf of Alset Capital Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”), this letter responds to comments provided by the staff
of the Division of Corporation Finance (the “Staff”), of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”)
provided to the undersigned on May 12, 2023 regarding the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 which was submitted
to the Commission on April 13, 2023.
For
convenience, the Staff’s comments have been restated below and the Company’s responses are set out immediately under the
restated comments. Unless otherwise indicated, defined terms used herein have the meanings set forth in the Annual Report.
Amendment
No. 5 to Registration Statement on Form S-4 Timeline of the Business Combination with HWH, page 107
1.
We
reissue comment 7 from our letter dated February 28, 2023. Please discuss why additional financing, such as the PIPE, has not been
secured to date.
Response:
In response to this comment, the Company advises the Staff that it has decided to remove the disclosure of the PIPE financing throughout
the S-4, as the Company does not currently have plans to effectuate a PIPE at this time. As such, the discussion in connection with a
PIPE financing has been removed throughout.
Alset’s
Board of Directors Reasons for the Approval of the Business Combination Board of Directors’ Reasons for Approval of the Business
Combination, page 111
2.
We
note your revised disclosure in response to comment 3 and reissue our comment. We note your disclosure that Mr. Chan participated
in the votes to approve the business combination. Please clarify how Alset’s board considered the conflicts of interest presented
by the affiliation between Alset and HWH and the overlapping nature of directors and officers of Alset and HWH in negotiating and
recommending the business combination. In this regard, we note that the disclosure you included on page 113 does not address the
specific circumstances of this transaction.
Response:
In response to this comment, the Company advises the Staff that it has provided additional disclosure on page 113 of the S-4, which
discusses how the board considered the conflicts of interests presented by the affiliation between Alset and HWH and the overlapping
nature of directors and officers of Alset and HWH in negotiating and recommending the business combination. All parties approving the
transaction were aware of the conflict and still believed that it was in the best interests of the parties and recommended holding a
Special Meeting of the Company’s stockholders to approve the transaction.
Material
U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations, page 132
3.
We
note your revised disclosure in response to comment 4, however it continues to appear that you are required to include the previously-deleted
disclosure regarding the tax consequences of the business combination, specifically pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, in this
section and in the Risk Factors section. In this regard, we note that Section III.A.2 of Staff Legal Bulletin No. 19 requires opinions
on tax matters of registered offerings to be provided where the “tax consequences are material to an investor”
and makes clear that a transaction’s tax consequences are “material” if the transaction is tax- free. Per your
previous disclosure and in accordance with the typical structure of a business combination such as the one described in the prospectus,
it appears that you intend the Business Combination to qualify as a nontaxable transaction under Section 351 of the Code. Along the
same lines, your disclosure states that the manner of determining a U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares of Alset
that it receives is described in the section “-— U.S. Holders -— The Receipt of Alset Common Stock in the Business
Combination,” which you previously deleted. Accordingly, it seems that the previously- deleted disclosure should be re-inserted
in order for your tax discussion to be accurate, complete and in accordance with the guidelines set forth in Staff Legal Bulletin
No. 19. Please revise.
Response:
In response to this comment, the Company advises the Staff that we have revised the disclosure on page 132 of the S-4, which states
the Company is uncertain of the tax treatment in connection with this business combination at this time.
4.
To
the extent you intend to file a short-form tax opinion as Exhibit 8.1, revise to state that the disclosure in this section constitutes
the opinion of counsel, and name such counsel. Refer to Section III.B of Staff Legal Bulletin No. 19.
Response:
In response to this comment, the Company advises the Staff that we do not intend to file a short-form tax opinion at this time,
and subsequently have removed the reference to us doing so.
HWH
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Results of Operations, page 169
5.
We
have reviewed your response to comment 6 and reissue the comment in part. Please provide a robust discussion of the known events
and trends in gross profit margins for the membership business compared to the food and beverage business considering the halt in
membership revenues and the potential launch of a new membership program in the upcoming quarter. Refer to Item 303(a) of Regulation
S-K.
Response:
In response to this comment, the Company advises the Staff that we have added additional disclosure on page 169, which discusses
the improvements of gross profit margins following the suspension of membership sales due to the Company’s focus on expanding its
food and beverage (F&B) operations.
HWH’s
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Liquidity and Capital Resources, page 170
6.
We
reissue comment 11 from our letter dated February 28, 2023. Please further revise to state the source of the “proceeds we raise
as part of the Business Combination,” as well as the likely range in the amount of such proceeds.
Response:
In response to this comment, the Company advises the Staff that the “proceeds” refers to any cash left in the Trust Account
after redemption. After giving its stockholders the right to request redemption in connection with the recent amendment to the Company’s
Certificate of Incorporation pursuant to its Special Meeting of Stockholders, an aggregate of $20,564,257.90 remains in the Trust Account.
These funds, if not subsequently redeemed, will be available to fund the Company’s operations. In the event that following the
subsequent redemption, to be afforded in connection with the approval of the actual business combination question, there is not sufficient
working capital the Company intends to explore its opportunity to obtain equity financing or debt financing. The Company has not entered
into any agreements with respect to such financing.
General
7.
We
note your disclosure on page 107 that you “have been in discussions with EF Hutton on the prospect of additional financing.
Once [you] get closer to the date of approval of the Business Combination, [you] and EF Hutton will enter into negotiations with
potential investors.” Please revise your disclosure to clarify the likelihood that such financing, i.e., the PIPE financing,
is secured and the anticipated timing. Include a summary of the material terms of such financing, to the extent known. To the extent
you believe such financing is not probable, please tell us why you believe it is appropriate to continue presenting the disclosure
throughout the registration statement as if the PIPE will occur, such as in the ownership disclosure both before and after the Business
Combination and your disclosure in Management’s Discussion and Analysis.
Response:
In response to this comment, the Company advises the Staff that similar to our response comment #1 above, the Company has decided
to remove the disclosure of the PIPE financing throughout the S-4, as the Company does not currently have plans to effectuate a PIPE
at this time. As such, the discussion in connection with a PIPE financing has been removed throughout and ownership and other pro forma
calculations no longer take such PIPE into account.
8.
We
note your response to comment 12. Please tell us how you have complied with Rule 13e-3(g)(2)(ii) and (iii) when the common stock
of the company currently is not registered under the Exchange Act or listed on an exchange.
Response:
In response to this comment, the Company advises the Staff that per a telephone conversation between the Staff and Company counsel
on May 19, 2023, no further responses are required for this comment, and the Staff has deemed this comment resolved.
Please
do not hesitate to contact our counsel Darrin Ocasio at (212) 930-9700 with any questions or comments regarding this correspondence.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Sichenzia
Ross Ference LLP
By:
/s/
Darrin Ocasio
Darrin
Ocasio
Partner