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Homeinns Hotel Group – ‘F-1/A’ on 4/25/07

On:  Wednesday, 4/25/07, at 9:54am ET   ·   Accession #:  1193125-7-89636   ·   File #:  333-142190

Previous ‘F-1’:  ‘F-1/A’ on 4/19/07   ·   Latest ‘F-1’:  This Filing

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  As Of                Filer                Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size              Issuer               Agent

 4/25/07  Home Inns & Hotels Mgmt Inc.      F-1/A                  3:2.9M                                   RR Donnelley/FA

Pre-Effective Amendment to Registration Statement of a Foreign Private Issuer   —   Form F-1
Filing Table of Contents

Document/Exhibit                   Description                      Pages   Size 

 1: F-1/A       Amendment No. 2 to Form F-1                         HTML   1.79M 
 2: EX-1.1      Form of Underwriting Agreement                      HTML    351K 
 3: EX-23.1     Consent of Pricewaterhousecoopers Zhong Tian CPAs   HTML      6K 
                          Limited Company                                        


F-1/A   —   Amendment No. 2 to Form F-1
Document Table of Contents

Page (sequential) | (alphabetic) Top
 
11st Page   -   Filing Submission
"Table of Contents
"P Rospectus S Ummary
"Risk Factors
"F Orward -L Ooking S Tatements
"U Se of P Roceeds
"D Ividend P Olicy
"C Apitalization
"D Ilution
"M Arket P Rice I Nformation F or O Ur Ads S
"E Xchange R Ate I Nformation
"E Nforceability of C Ivil L Iabilities
"S Elected C Onsolidated F Inancial D Ata
"M Anagement ' S D Iscussion and A Nalysis of F Inancial C Ondition and R Esults of O Perations
"I Ndustry B Ackground
"B Usiness
"R Egulation
"M Anagement
"P Rincipal and S Elling S Hareholders
"R Elated P Arty T Ransactions
"D Escription of S Hare C Apital
"D Escription of A Merican D Epositary S Hares
"S Hares E Ligible for F Uture S Ale
"T Axation
"U Nderwriting
"E Xpenses R Elating to T His O Ffering
"L Egal M Atters
"E Xperts
"W Here Y Ou C An F Ind A Dditional I Nformation
"I Ndex to C Onsolidated F Inancial S Tatements
"Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
"Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006
"Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2005 and 2006
"Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006
"Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006
"Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
"Consolidated Statement of Operations for the Year Ended December 31, 2004
"Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2004
"Consolidated Statement of Shareholders' Equity for the Year Ended December 31, 2004
"Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the Year Ended December 31, 2004

This is an HTML Document rendered as filed.  [ Alternative Formats ]



  AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO FORM F-1  
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 25, 2007

Registration No. 333-142190

 


SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 


Amendment No. 2

to

FORM F-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 


HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Not Applicable

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)

 

Cayman Islands   7011   Not Applicable

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

No. 400 Tian Yao Qiao Road

Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China

+(8621) 6486-1818

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

 


CT Corporation System

111 Eighth Avenue

New York, New York 10011

(212) 664-1666

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 


Copies to:

 

David T. Zhang, Esq.

Z. Julie Gao, Esq.

Latham & Watkins LLP

41st Floor, One Exchange Square

8 Connaught Place, Central

Hong Kong

+(852) 2522-7886

 

Leiming Chen, Esq.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

35th Floor, ICBC Tower

3 Garden Road, Central

Hong Kong

+(852) 2514-7600

 


Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: as soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ¨

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨                     

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨                     

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨                     

If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, check the following box. ¨

 


CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

   

Title of each class of

securities to be registered

  Amount to be
registered
  Proposed maximum
offering price per
ordinary share
   

Proposed maximum
aggregate offering

price

  Amount of
registration fee
 

Ordinary shares, par value US$0.005 per share (1)

  8,050,000(2)   US$ 16.275 (2)   US$ 131,013,750(2)(3)   US$ 4,023 (4)

(1) American depositary shares issuable upon deposit of the ordinary shares registered hereby have been registered under a separate registration statement on Form F-6 (Registration No. 333-137983). Each American depositary share represents two ordinary shares.
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the amount of registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based on the average of the high and low trading prices on April 24, 2007 of the Registrant’s American depositary shares listed on the Nasdaq Global Market and representing the Registrant’s ordinary shares.
(3) Includes ordinary shares initially offered and sold outside the United States that may be resold from time to time in the United States either as part of their distribution or within 40 days after the later of the effective date of this registration statement and the date the shares are first bona fide offered to the public, and also includes ordinary shares that may be purchased by the underwriters pursuant to an over-allotment option. These ordinary shares are not being registered for the purpose of sales outside the United States.
(4) Previously paid.

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to such Section 8(a), may determine.

 



Table of Contents

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion. Dated April 25, 2007.

3,500,000 American Depositary Shares

LOGO

Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc.

Representing 7,000,000 Ordinary Shares

 


This is a public offering of American depositary shares, or ADSs, of Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc., or Home Inns. Home Inns is offering 1,478,155 ADSs, and the selling shareholders disclosed in this prospectus is offering an additional 2,021,845 ADSs. Each ADS represents two ordinary shares. The ADSs are evidenced by American depositary receipts, or ADRs. Home Inns will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of ADSs by the selling shareholders.

The public offering price of the ADSs is US$             per ADS. Our ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “HMIN.” On April 24, 2007, the last trading price for our ADSs as reported on the Nasdaq Global Market was US$31.89 per ADS. There is currently no public market for our ordinary shares.

The underwriters have an option to purchase up to an additional 221,724 ADSs from Home Inns and an additional 303,276 ADSs from the selling shareholders at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, within 30 days from the date of this prospectus.

See “ Risk Factors” beginning on page 13 to read about risks you should consider before buying the ADSs.

 

    

Public offering
price

   Underwriting
discounts and
commissions
   Proceeds,
before expenses, to
Home Inns
   Proceeds, before
expenses, to
the selling
shareholders

Per ADS

  

US$

   US$    US$    US$

Total

  

US$

   US$    US$    US$

The underwriters expect to deliver the ADSs evidenced by the ADRs against payment in U.S. dollars in New York, New York on             , 2007.

Neither the United States Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission or other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

Credit Suisse   Merrill Lynch & Co.

CIBC World Markets

The date of this prospectus is             , 2007


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

   1

RISK FACTORS

   13

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

   28

USE OF PROCEEDS

   29

DIVIDEND POLICY

   30

CAPITALIZATION

   31

DILUTION

   32

MARKET PRICE INFORMATION FOR OUR ADSS

   34

EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION

   35

ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

   36

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

   37

MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

   42

INDUSTRY BACKGROUND

   66

BUSINESS

   70

REGULATION

   84

MANAGEMENT

   88

PRINCIPAL AND SELLING SHAREHOLDERS

   95

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

   97

DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

   100

DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

   104

SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

   111

TAXATION

   113

UNDERWRITING

   118

EXPENSES RELATING TO THIS OFFERING

   124

LEGAL MATTERS

   125

EXPERTS

   125

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

   125

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

   F-1

 


No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representations. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the ADSs offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information in this prospectus is current only as of the date of this prospectus.

 

i


Table of Contents

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

The following summary is qualified in its entirety by, and should be read in conjunction with, the more detailed information and financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition to this summary, we urge you to read the entire prospectus carefully, especially the risks of investing in our ADSs discussed under “Risk Factors,” before deciding whether to buy our ADSs.

Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc.

Our Company

We are a leading economy hotel chain in China, based on the number of our hotels and the number of our hotel rooms, as well as the geographic coverage of our hotel chain. We develop and operate economy hotels across China under our award-winning “Home Inn” brand. Since we commenced operations in 2002, we have become one of the best-known economy hotel brands in China. We offer a consistent product and high-quality services to primarily serve the fast growing population of value-conscious individual business and leisure travelers who demand clean, comfortable and convenient lodging.

We have achieved our growth by utilizing two business models. We either lease real estate properties on which we develop and operate hotels, or we franchise our brand to hotel owners and manage these hotel properties. We refer to the former type of hotels as “leased-and-operated hotels” and to the latter type of hotels as “franchised-and-managed hotels.” As of March 31, 2007, our Home Inns hotel chain consisted of 97 leased-and-operated hotels in operation with an additional 36 leased-and-operated hotels under development and 48 franchised-and-managed hotels in operation and an additional 12 franchised-and-managed hotels under development, covering 53 cities in China. We have received many awards and accolades for our innovative, consistent and high-quality product and services across our hotel chain, including the “2006 Leading Brand in Economy Hotels in China” from the China Hotel Association, the “Golden Pillow Award” for best brand in economy hotels in China in 2006 from the 21st Century Business Herald, a nationwide economic journal in China, and being named one of the “2006 Top 10 Leading Consumers Brands” by the China Enterprise Culture Improvement Association.

We have experienced substantial growth while maintaining profitability since 2003. Our Home Inns hotels in operation grew rapidly from 10 hotels in four cities as of the end of 2003 to 134 hotels in 39 cities as of the end of 2006, and our net income grew from RMB 1.5 million in 2003 to RMB 46.9 million (US$6.0 million) in 2006, representing a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 215%.

Industry Background

China’s lodging industry has expanded rapidly as a result of the substantial growth of the Chinese economy over the past several years. According to Euromonitor International, or Euromonitor, total sales in China’s lodging industry grew from RMB 190 billion in 1999 to RMB 264 billion in 2004.

While China’s lodging industry continues to grow, it remains highly fragmented. According to Euromonitor, hotels accounted for only approximately 5% of total lodging outlets in China in 2004, with the remainder being guesthouses and other privately owned lodging outlets. Within the hotel sector of the lodging industry, the top ten brands accounted for an approximate 6% market share in 2004 in terms of sales.

Economy hotel chains have emerged and expanded in China in recent years to primarily target value-conscious individual business and leisure travelers. The growth in demand for economy hotel chains in China is being driven by both general factors, including the growth of the Chinese economy and the growth of China’s travel and lodging industry, as well as more specific factors, such as a rapid increase in the number of small- to medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, the growth of domestic tourism, the expansion of urban business centers and the fragmentation of the lodging industry.

 

1


Table of Contents

We believe the economy hotel market in China is still at an early stage of development. There are significant growth opportunities for economy hotel operators to develop new properties and convert existing lodging facilities. The ability of an economy hotel chain to compete in the current market is determined by the hotel chain’s ability to provide a consistent product, high-quality services, an efficient reservation system and effective sales channels, as well as its brand-name recognition and geographic coverage. We believe economy hotel chains that have established a reputable brand and a nationwide network, such as our Home Inns hotel chain, are well-positioned to capture the opportunities presented by the continuing growth of the economy hotel market in China.

Our Strengths, Strategies and Challenges

We believe that the following competitive strengths contribute to our success and differentiate us from our competitors:

 

   

scale and leadership in the economy hotel market in China, as measured by the number of our hotels and hotel rooms, as well as the geographic coverage of our hotel chain;

 

   

innovative, distinctive and consistent product;

 

   

outstanding track record, as evidenced by our ability to rapidly expand our hotel chain from ten hotels operating in four cities as of the end of 2003 to 134 hotels operating in 39 cities as of December 31, 2006, while having maintained profitability since 2003;

 

   

efficient and integrated operational infrastructure and information systems; and

 

   

experienced management team and motivated staff.

Our goal is to become the leading economy hotel chain in China. We intend to achieve our goal by pursuing the following growth strategies:

 

   

expand geographical coverage to capitalize on our early-mover advantage;

 

   

increase penetration in existing markets;

 

   

continue to build brand awareness and customer loyalty;

 

   

increase our revenue per available room, or RevPAR, by optimizing customer channel mix and maximizing room rate growth; and

 

   

further enhance our information and operational systems and human resources management.

The successful execution of our strategies is subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including:

 

   

risks associated with our limited operating history;

 

   

uncertainties associated with our ability to continue our growth while maintaining our profitability;

 

   

uncertainties in our ability to expand our operations while maintaining the consistent quality of our product and enhancing profitability;

 

   

uncertainties in our ability to respond to competitive pressures; and

 

   

uncertainties associated with factors typically affecting the lodging industry, including changes in economic conditions, natural disasters or outbreaks of serious contagious diseases in markets where we have a presence.

Please see “Risk Factors” and other information included in this prospectus for a detailed discussion of these risks and uncertainties.

 

2


Table of Contents

Corporate Information

We incorporated Home Inns & Hotels Management (Hong Kong) Limited, or Home Inns Hong Kong, in May 2001 and commenced operations in July 2002 through Home Inns & Hotels Management (Beijing) Co, Ltd., or Home Inns Beijing, a company established in China, and its subsidiaries and affiliates. In May 2006, we established a holding company, Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc., under the laws of the Cayman Islands in preparation for our initial public offering, which was completed in October 2006.

Our principal executive offices are located at No. 400 Tian Yao Qiao Road, Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China. Our telephone number at this address is +(8621) 6486-1818. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at the offices of M&C Corporate Services Limited, P.O Box 309GT, Ugland House, South Church Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies. In addition, we have two branch offices in China. Our agent for service of process in the United States is CT Corporation System, located at 111 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10011.

Investors should contact us for any inquiries through the address and telephone number of our principal executive offices. Our website is http://english.homeinns.com. The information contained on our website is not a part of this prospectus.

 

3


Table of Contents

Corporate Structure and History

The following diagram illustrates our corporate structure as of March 31, 2007.

LOGO

 


* Home Inns Shanghai owns 75% of one joint venture and 51% of each of the other three joint ventures.

Home Inns Hong Kong was incorporated in Hong Kong in May 2001 by its individual founders and Ctrip.com International, Ltd., or Ctrip, a leading China-based travel consolidator. Through a series of transactions, Ctrip disposed of all of its ownership interest in Home Inns Hong Kong in August 2003 to focus on its core business of travel consolidation and to prepare for its initial public offering, which was completed in December 2003.

In April 2002, Home Inns Hong Kong and Beijing Capital Travel International Hotel Group Co., Ltd., or Beijing Capital Travel, entered into a joint venture agreement to form Home Inns Beijing to operate branded economy hotels in China. Beijing Capital Travel is a subsidiary of Beijing Tourism Group, or BTG. Home Inns Hong Kong and BTG owned 55% and 45%, respectively, of Home Inns Beijing when it commenced operations in July 2002. Subsequently, Home Inns Hong Kong gradually increased its ownership interest in Home Inns Beijing by contributing additional funds to the registered capital of Home Inns Beijing. Home Inns Hong Kong’s ownership interest in Home Inns Beijing was increased to 95.59% as of February 2005.

We have been actively managing Home Inns Beijing since its inception. Home Inns Hong Kong’s ownership in Home Inns Beijing was accounted for under the equity method since Home Inns Beijing’s inception until April 2004 because, during this period of time, BTG had substantive participation rights that enabled it to

 

4


Table of Contents

veto significant decisions made by Home Inns Hong Kong. In April 2004, Home Inns Hong Kong and Beijing Capital Travel entered into a revised joint venture agreement, under which Home Inns Hong Kong obtained control of Home Inns Beijing. As a result, Home Inns Beijing has been our consolidated subsidiary since then.

In May 2006, we incorporated Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. in the Cayman Islands in preparation for our initial public offering. In June 2006, all of the then-existing shareholders of Home Inns Hong Kong exchanged their respective shares of Home Inns Hong Kong for an equivalent number of shares of Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. of equivalent classes. As a result, Home Inns Hong Kong became our wholly owned subsidiary in June 2006. Our consolidated financial statements reflect the share exchange in June 2006 and have been prepared as if our current corporate structure had been in existence throughout the relevant periods. On October 31, 2006, we completed our initial public offering, in which we issued and sold 5,874,237 ADSs, representing 11,748,474 of our ordinary shares, and certain of our then shareholders sold 3,210,763 ADSs, representing 6,421,526 of our ordinary shares, in each case at a public offering price of US$13.80 per ADS.

 

5


Table of Contents

Conventions Which Apply to this Prospectus

Unless we indicate otherwise, all information in this prospectus reflects no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase up to 221,724 additional ADSs representing 443,448 ordinary shares from us and up to 303,276 additional ADSs representing 606,552 ordinary shares from the selling shareholders.

Except where the context otherwise requires and for purposes of this prospectus only:

 

   

“we,” “us,” our company,” “our” and “Home Inns” refer to Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc., a Cayman Islands company, and its predecessor entities and subsidiaries, except in the context of discussing our consolidated financial data for the periods prior to April 2004, where the reference excludes Home Inns Beijing and its subsidiaries;

 

   

“BTG” refers to Beijing Tourism Group, a state-owned enterprise established in the PRC, and its predecessors and subsidiaries, including Beijing Capital Travel International Hotel Group Co., Ltd.;

 

   

“China” or “PRC” refers to the People’s Republic of China, excluding Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau;

 

   

“Home Inns Beijing” refers to Home Inns & Hotels Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd., and its subsidiaries, which have been our consolidated subsidiaries since April 2004;

 

   

“Home Inns Hong Kong” refers to Home Inns & Hotels Management (Hong Kong) Limited;

 

   

“Home Inns Shanghai” refers to Home Inns & Hotels Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.;

 

   

“our hotels” refers, collectively, to our leased-and-operated and franchised-and-managed hotels;

 

   

“average daily rate” refers to total hotel room revenues divided by the total number of occupied rooms in a given period;

 

   

“occupancy rate” refers to the total number of occupied rooms divided by the total number of available rooms in a given period;

 

   

“RevPAR” represents revenue per available room, which is calculated by dividing total hotel room revenues by the total number of available rooms in a given period, or by multiplying average daily rates and occupancy rates in a given period;

 

   

“shares” or “ordinary shares” refers to our ordinary shares; “preferred shares” refers to our Series A convertible preferred shares, Series B convertible preferred shares and Series C convertible preferred shares, collectively, all of which were converted into an equal number of ordinary shares on October 31, 2006 upon the completion of our initial public offering;

 

   

“ADSs” refers to our American depositary shares, each of which represents two ordinary shares, and “ADRs” refers to the American depositary receipts that evidence our ADSs; and

 

   

“RMB” or “Renminbi” refers to the legal currency of China; “$,” “dollars,” “US$” or “U.S. dollars” refers to the legal currency of the United States; and “HK$” refers to the legal currency of Hong Kong.

 

6


Table of Contents

THE OFFERING

The following information assumes that the underwriters will not exercise their option to purchase additional ADSs in the offering, unless otherwise indicated.

 

Offering price

US$             per ADS.

 

ADSs offered by us

1,478,155 ADSs.

 

ADSs offered by the selling shareholders

2,021,845 ADSs.

 

Total ADSs offered in this offering

3,500,000 ADSs.

 

ADSs outstanding immediately after this offering

12,585,000 ADSs.

 

Ordinary shares outstanding immediately after this offering

69,403,259 ordinary shares.

 

ADS to ordinary share ratio

One ADS represents two ordinary shares.

 

The ADSs

The ADSs will be evidenced by ADRs.

 

   

The depositary will hold the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. You will have rights as provided in the deposit agreement.

 

   

If, however, we declare dividends on our ordinary shares, the depositary will pay you the cash dividends and other distributions it receives on our ordinary shares, after deducting its fees and expenses.

 

   

You may turn in your ADSs to the depositary in exchange for ordinary shares. The depositary will charge you fees for any exchange.

 

   

We may amend or terminate the deposit agreement without your consent. If you continue to hold your ADSs, you agree to be bound by the deposit agreement as amended.

To better understand the terms of the ADSs, you should carefully read the “Description of American Depositary Shares” section of this prospectus. You should also read the deposit agreement, which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.

 

Over-allotment option

We and the selling shareholders have granted to the underwriters an option, which is exercisable within 30 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to an aggregate of 525,000 additional ADSs.

 

Use of proceeds

We estimate that our net proceeds from this offering will be approximately US$44.2 million, based on the last trading price of our ADSs on April 24, 2007 of US$31.89 per ADS. We plan to use the net proceeds we receive from this offering to fund capital expenditures, improve our financial strength and flexibility, fund potential strategic acquisitions and for general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds” for additional information.

 

7


Table of Contents
 

We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of ADSs by the selling shareholders.

 

Lock-up

We and the selling shareholders have agreed with the underwriters to a lock-up of shares for a period of 90 days after the date of this prospectus. In addition, our directors and officers have also agreed with the underwriters to a lock-up of shares for a period of 60 days after the date of this prospectus. Poly Victory Investments Limited, one of our principal shareholders, remains subject to a three-year lock-up period which commenced on October 25, 2006. See “Underwriting.”

 

Listing

Our ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “HMIN.” Our ordinary shares are not listed on any exchange or traded on any automated quotation system.

 

Risk factors

See “Risk Factors” and other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of risks you should carefully consider before investing in our ADSs.

 

Depositary

The Bank of New York.

The number of ordinary shares that will be outstanding immediately after this offering:

 

   

excludes 4,640,486 ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of options outstanding as of the date of this prospectus, at a weighted average exercise price of US$7.55 per share; and

 

   

excludes ordinary shares reserved for future issuances under our share incentive plans.

 

8


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Our Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data

You should read the following information in conjunction with our and Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated financial statements and related notes, “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included elsewhere in this prospectus.

The following summary consolidated financial information has been derived from our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our summary consolidated statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, and our consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2006, have been derived from our consolidated financial statements for the relevant periods which have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company, an independent registered public accounting firm, and are prepared and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or U.S. GAAP, and reflect our current corporate structure as if it had been in existence throughout the relevant periods.

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2004     2005     2006  
     RMB     RMB     RMB     US$  
     (in thousands, except share, per share and per ADS
data)
 

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

        

Total Revenues

   96,000     285,861     588,500     75,409  

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

   (5,101 )   (16,830 )   (33,977 )   (4,354 )
                        

Net revenues

   90,899     269,031     554,523     71,055  

Operating costs and expenses(1)

   (82,176 )   (238,689 )   (479,957 )   (61,500 )
                        

Income from operations

   8,723     30,342     74,566     9,555  

Income before income tax expense, minority interests and share of income of affiliated companies

   9,183     32,255     73,319     9,395  

Minority interests

   552     (4,797 )   (5,034 )   (645 )

Share of income of affiliated companies

   1,972     —       —       —    

Net income

   5,969     20,933     46,894     6,009  

Amount allocated to participating preferred shareholders

   (2,960 )   (9,487 )   (16,174 )   (2,073 )
                        

Net income available to ordinary shareholders

   3,009     11,446     30,720     3,936  

Earnings per share

        

Basic

   0.15     0.42     0.86     0.11  

Diluted

   0.15     0.40     0.82     0.10  

Earnings per ADS(2)

        

Basic

   0.30     0.84     1.73     0.22  

Diluted

   0.30     0.80     1.64     0.21  

Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding:

        

Basic

   19,981,424     27,399,140     35,550,114     35,550,114  

Diluted

   20,315,681     28,713,188     37,530,332     37,530,332  

(1)    Include share-based compensation expenses as follows:

      

     
     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2004     2005     2006  
     RMB     RMB     RMB     US$  
     (in thousands)  

Share-based compensation expenses

   149     960     16,295     2,088  

 

(2) Each ADS represents two ordinary shares.

 

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     As of December 31, 2006
     Actual    As adjusted (1)(2)
     RMB    US$    RMB    US$
     (in thousands)

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

           

Cash and cash equivalents

   758,004    97,129    1,102,816    141,312

Total assets

   1,320,019    169,144    1,664,831    213,327

Total current liabilities

   323,229    41,418    323,229    41,418

Total shareholders’ equity

   889,739    114,009    1,234,551    158,192

(1) Our consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2006 are adjusted to give effect to the issuance and sale of 1,478,155 ADSs by us in this offering, based on the assumed public offering price of US$31.89 per ADS, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts, commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
(2) A US$1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of US$31.89 per ADS would increase (decrease) the amounts representing cash and cash equivalents, total assets and total shareholders’ equity by US$1.4 million.

The following table presents certain unaudited financial data and selected operating data as of and for the dates and years indicated. We present operating data for 2004 as if we had consolidated Home Inns Beijing throughout the relevant period.

 

     As of and for the Year Ended
December 31,
     2004    2005    2006

Non-GAAP Financial Data:

        

EBITDA(1) (in thousands of RMB)

   17,684    51,790    114,452

Operating Data:

        

Total hotels in operation:

        

Leased-and-operated hotels(2)

   18    54    94

Franchised-and-managed hotels

   8    14    40

Total rooms

   2,991    8,197    16,162

Geographic coverage:

        

Number of cities

   8    22    39

Occupancy rate (as a percentage)

   86.8    89.8    92.8

Average daily rate (in RMB)

   191    182    182

RevPAR (in RMB)

   166    163    169

(1) We believe that earnings before interest, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, is a useful financial metric by which to assess our operating and financial performance before the impact of investing and financing transactions and income taxes. In addition, we believe that EBITDA is widely used by other companies in the lodging industry and may be used by investors as a measure of our financial performance. Given the significant investments that we have made in the past in property, plant and equipment, depreciation and amortization expenses comprise a significant portion of our cost structure. We believe that EBITDA will provide investors with a useful tool for comparability between periods because it eliminates depreciation and amortization expenses attributable to capital expenditures. The presentation of EBITDA should not be construed as an indication that our future results will be unaffected by other charges and gains we consider to be outside the ordinary course of our business.

 

     The use of EBITDA has certain limitations. Depreciation and amortization expenses for various long-term assets, income tax expense, interest expense and interest income have been and will be incurred and are not reflected in the presentation of EBITDA. Each of these items should also be considered in the overall evaluation of our results. Additionally, EBITDA does not consider capital expenditures and other investing activities, and should not be considered as a measure of our liquidity. We compensate for these limitations by providing the relevant disclosure of our depreciation and amortization, interest expense and interest income, income tax expense, capital expenditures and other relevant items both in our reconciliations to the U.S. GAAP financial measures and in our consolidated financial statements, all of which should be considered when evaluating our performance. The term EBITDA is not defined under U.S. GAAP, and EBITDA is not a measure of net income, operating income, operating performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. When assessing our operating and financial performance, you should not consider this data in isolation or as a substitute for our net income, operating income or any other operating performance measure that is calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In addition, our EBITDA may not be comparable to EBITDA or similarly titled measures utilized by other companies since such other companies may not calculate EBITDA in the same manner as we do.

 

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     A reconciliation of EBITDA to net income, which is the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measure, is provided below:

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2004      2005      2006  
     RMB      RMB      RMB      US$  
     (in thousands)  

Net income

   5,969      20,933      46,894      6,009  

Interest income

   (88 )    (223 )    (6,578 )    (843 )

Interest expense

   98      709      6,143      787  

Income tax expense

   5,738      6,526      21,390      2,741  

Depreciation and amortization

   5,967      23,845      46,603      5,972  
                           

EBITDA

   17,684      51,790      114,452      14,666  
                           

 

(2) Includes four hotels operated through separate joint ventures with third parties. We own 75% of one joint venture and 51% of each of the other three joint ventures.

 

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Home Inns Beijing’s Summary Consolidated Financial Data

You should read the following information in conjunction with Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated financial statements and related notes, “Home Inns Beijing’s Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included elsewhere in this prospectus.

The following summary consolidated financial information has been derived from Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated statement of operations data for the year ended December 31, 2004 has been derived from its consolidated financial statements which has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company, an independent registered public accounting firm, and is prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

In April 2002, Home Inns Hong Kong and BTG entered into a joint venture agreement to form Home Inns Beijing to operate branded economy hotels in China. Home Inns Hong Kong and BTG owned 55% and 45%, respectively, of Home Inns Beijing when it commenced operations in July 2002. Subsequently, Home Inns Hong Kong gradually increased its ownership interest in Home Inns Beijing by contributing additional funds to the registered capital of Home Inns Beijing. Home Inns Hong Kong’s ownership interest in Home Inns Beijing was increased to 95.59% as of February 2005.

We have been actively managing Home Inns Beijing since its inception. Home Inns Hong Kong’s ownership in Home Inns Beijing was initially accounted for under the equity method since Home Inns Beijing’s inception until April 2004 because, during this period of time, BTG had substantive participation rights that enabled it to veto significant decisions made by Home Inns Hong Kong. In April 2004, Home Inns Hong Kong and Beijing Capital Travel entered into a revised joint venture agreement, under which Home Inns Hong Kong obtained effective control of Home Inns Beijing. As a result, Home Inns Beijing has been accounted for as our consolidated subsidiary since then.

 

     For the Year Ended
December 31, 2004
 
     (in RMB thousands)  

Revenues

   115,278  

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

   (6,150 )

Net revenues

   109,128  

Operating costs and expenses

   (96,139 )

Income from operations

   12,989  

Net income

   7,735  

 

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RISK FACTORS

You should consider carefully all of the information in this prospectus, including the risks and uncertainties described below, before making an investment in our ADSs. Any of the following risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In any such case, the market price of our ADSs could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Business

Our operating results are subject to conditions typically affecting the lodging industry.

Our operating results are subject to conditions typically affecting the lodging industry, including the following:

 

   

changes in the national, regional or local economic conditions;

 

   

natural disasters or travelers’ fears of exposure to serious contagious diseases;

 

   

the attractiveness of our hotels to customers and competition from other hotels;

 

   

local market conditions such as an oversupply of, or a reduction in demand for, hotel rooms;

 

   

the performance of managerial and other employees of our hotels; and

 

   

increases in operating costs and expenses due to inflation and other factors.

Changes in any of these conditions could adversely affect our occupancy rates, average daily rates and RevPAR or otherwise adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

We may not be able to manage our expected growth, which could adversely affect our operating results.

Since our inception, we have experienced substantial growth. We have increased the number of our hotels in operation in China from five in 2002 to 134 as of December 31, 2006, and we intend to continue to develop and operate additional hotels in different geographic locations in China. This expansion has placed, and will continue to place, substantial demands on our managerial, operational, technological and other resources. Our planned expansion will also require us to maintain the consistency of our product and the quality of our services to ensure that our brand does not suffer as a result of any deviations, whether actual or perceived, in the consistency of our product and the quality of our services. In order to manage and support our growth, we must continue to improve our existing operational, administrative and technological systems and our financial and management controls, and recruit, train and retain qualified hotel management personnel as well as other administrative and sales and marketing personnel, particularly as we expand into new markets. We cannot assure you that we will be able to effectively and efficiently manage the growth of our operations, recruit and retain qualified personnel and integrate new hotels into our operations. Any failure to effectively and efficiently manage our expansion may materially and adversely affect our ability to capitalize on new business opportunities, which in turn may have a material adverse effect on our results of operation.

Expansion into new markets may present operating and marketing challenges that are different from those that we currently encounter in our existing markets. In addition, our expansion within existing markets may adversely affect the financial performance of our existing hotels in those markets and, as a result, negatively affect our overall results of operations. Our inability to anticipate the changing demands that expanding operations will impose on our management and information and operational systems, or our failure to quickly adapt our systems and procedures to the new markets could result in lost revenue and increased expenses, and otherwise harm our results of operations and financial condition.

 

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If the value of our brand or image diminishes, it could have a material and adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Our “Home Inn” brand is associated with a leading economy hotel chain offering cleanness, convenience and comfort with consistent, high-quality service among value-conscious individual business and leisure travelers in China. Our continued success in maintaining and enhancing our brand and image depends, to a large extent, on our ability to satisfy customer needs by further developing and maintaining our innovative and distinctive product and maintaining consistent quality of services across our hotel chain, as well as our ability to respond to competitive pressures. If we are unable to do so, our occupancy rates may decline, which could in turn adversely affect our results of operations. Our business may also be adversely affected if our public image or reputation were to be diminished by the operations of any of our hotels, whether due to unsatisfactory service, accidents or otherwise. Our brand is integral to our sales and marketing efforts. If the value of our brand or image is diminished or if our brand does not continue to be attractive to customers, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

If we are not able to hire, train and retain qualified managerial and other employees, our brand and our business may be materially and adversely affected.

Our managerial and other employees manage our hotels and interact with our customers on a daily basis. They are critical to maintaining the quality and consistency of our services as well as our established brand and reputation. It is important for us to attract qualified managerial and other employees who have experience in lodging or other consumer-service industries and are committed to our “customer-first” approach. There may be a limited supply of such qualified individuals in some of the cities in China where we have operations and other cities into which we intend to expand. In addition, criteria such as dedication are difficult to ascertain during the recruitment process. We must hire and train qualified managerial and other employees on a timely basis to keep pace with our rapid growth while maintaining consistent quality of services across our hotels in various geographic locations. We must also provide continuous training to our managerial and other employees so that they are equipped with up-to-date knowledge of various aspects of our hotel operations and can meet our demand for high-quality services. If we fail to do so, the quality of our services may decrease in one or more of the markets where we operate, which in turn may have a material and adverse effect on our brand and our business.

We may not be able to successfully identify or secure additional hotel properties.

We plan to open more hotels in targeted markets to further grow our business. We may not be successful in identifying and leasing or franchising additional hotel properties at desirable locations and on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Some cities in China have undergone economic development and expansion for several decades while others are still at an early stage of development. In more developed cities, it may be difficult to increase the number of hotels because we or our competitors already have operations in such cities. In less developed cities, demand for our hotels may not increase as rapidly as we expect. Even if we are able to successfully identify and acquire new hotel properties via lease or franchise arrangements, new hotels may not generate the returns we expect. We also may incur costs in connection with evaluating hotel properties and negotiating with property owners, including ones that we are subsequently unable to lease or franchise. If we fail to successfully identify or compete for additional hotel properties, our ability to execute our growth strategy could be impaired and our business and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

Our financial and operating performance may be adversely affected by epidemics, natural disasters and other catastrophes.

Our financial and operating performance may be adversely affected by epidemics, natural disasters and other catastrophes, particularly in locations where we operate a large number of hotels. In early 2003, several economies in Asia, including China, were affected by the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. During May and June of 2003, many businesses in China were closed by the PRC government to prevent

 

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transmission of SARS. Our business and results of operations were materially and adversely affected by the outbreak of SARS. In addition, some Asian countries, including China, have recently encountered incidents of the H5N1 strain of bird flu, or avian flu. This disease, which originally spread through poultry populations, is capable in some circumstances of being transmitted to humans and is often fatal. Losses caused by epidemics, natural disasters and other catastrophes, including SARS, avian flu, earthquakes or typhoons, are either uninsurable or too expensive to justify insuring against in China. In the event an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insured limits occurs, we could lose all or a portion of the capital we have invested in a hotel, as well as the anticipated future revenue from the hotel. In that event, we might nevertheless remain obligated for any financial obligations related to the hotel. Similarly, war (including the potential for war) and terrorist activity (including threats of terrorist activity), travel-related accidents, as well as geopolitical uncertainty and international conflict, will affect travel and may in turn have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operation. In addition, we may not be adequately prepared in contingency planning or recovery capability in relation to a major incident or crisis, and as a result our operational continuity may be adversely affected and our reputation may be harmed.

Our legal right to lease certain properties could be challenged by property owners or other third parties, which could prevent us from continuing to operate the affected hotels or increase the costs associated with operating these hotels.

We do not hold any land-use rights with respect to the land on which our hotels are located nor do we own any of the hotel properties we operate. Instead, our business model relies on leases with third parties who either own the properties or lease the properties from the ultimate property owner. As of December 31, 2006, title certificates for six of the properties operated by us had not been obtained. We cannot assure you that title to properties we currently lease or franchise will not be challenged. There may be challenges to the title of the properties which, if successful, could impair the development or operations of our hotels on such properties. In addition, we are subject to the risk of potential disputes with property owners. Such disputes, whether resolved in our favor or not, may divert management attention, harm our reputation or otherwise disrupt our business.

Where our immediate lessors are not the ultimate owners of hotel properties, in several instances no consent was obtained from the owners to sublease the hotel properties to us. A lessor’s failure to duly obtain the title to the property or to receive any necessary approvals from the ultimate owner or the primary lease holder, as applicable, could potentially invalidate our lease or result in the renegotiation of such lease leading to less favorable terms. Moreover, we cannot assure you that the building ownership or leasehold in connection with our franchised-and-managed hotels will not be subject to similar third-party challenges. Some of the properties we or our franchisees lease from third parties were subject to mortgages at the time the leases were signed. In such circumstances and where consent to the lease was not obtained from the mortgage holder, the lease may not be binding on the transferee of the property if the mortgage holders foreclose on the mortgage and transfer the property, which could in turn materially and adversely affect our ability to operate the hotel facility.

If we are unable to compete successfully, our financial condition and results of operations may be harmed.

The lodging industry in China is highly competitive. Competition in the industry is primarily based on room rates, quality of accommodations, brand name recognition, convenience of location, geographic coverage, service quality, range of services, and guest amenities. We compete primarily with other economy hotel chains as well as various regional and local economy hotels. We also compete with two- and three-star hotels, as we offer rooms with standards comparable to many of those hotels while maintaining competitive pricing. In addition, we may also face competition from new entrants in the economy hotel segment in China. As compared to developing four- or five-star hotels, developing economy hotels does not require significant capital commitments or human resources. This relatively low barrier to entry potentially allows new competitors to enter our markets quickly to compete with our business. Furthermore, we compete with all other hotels for guests in each market in which we operate, as our typical business and leisure traveler customers may change their travel, spending and consumption patterns and choose to stay in hotels in different segments. New and existing competitors may offer

 

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competitive rates, greater convenience, services or amenities or superior facilities, which could attract customers away from our hotels, resulting in a decrease in occupancy and average daily rates for our hotels. Any of these factors may have an adverse effect on our competitive position, results of operations and financial condition.

Our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects and results of operations.

We believe that our future success depends on our ability to significantly increase revenue and profitability from our operations. We have a limited operating history, having only commenced operations in 2002. Accordingly, you should consider our future prospects in light of the risks and challenges encountered by a company with a limited operating history. These risks and challenges include:

 

   

the uncertainties associated with our ability to continue our growth while maintaining our profitability;

 

   

preserving our competitive position in the economy hotel segment of the lodging industry in China;

 

   

offering an innovative product to attract recurring and new customers;

 

   

implementing our strategy and modifying it from time to time to respond effectively to competition and changes in customer preferences and needs;

 

   

increasing awareness of our “Home Inn” brand and continuing to develop customer loyalty; and

 

   

attracting, training, retaining and motivating qualified personnel.

If we are unsuccessful in addressing any of these risks or challenges, our business may be materially and adversely affected.

Failure to retain our senior management could harm our business.

We place substantial reliance on the lodging and other consumer-service industry experience and the institutional knowledge of members of our senior management team. Mr. David Jian Sun, our chief executive officer, Ms. May Wu, our chief financial officer, and Ms. Rixin Liang, our chief operating officer, are particularly important to our future success due to their substantial experience in the lodging and other consumer-service industries. We do not carry key person insurance on any of our senior management team. The loss of the services of one or more of these members of our senior management team due to their departure or otherwise could hinder our ability to effectively manage our business and implement our growth strategies. Finding suitable replacements for Mr. Sun, Ms. Wu and Ms. Liang could be difficult, and competition for such personnel of similar experience is intense. If we lose the services of any of them, our business may be adversely affected.

Interruption or failure of our information and operational systems could impair our ability to effectively provide our services, which could damage our reputation.

Our ability to provide consistent and high-quality services throughout our hotel chain depends on the continued operation of our proprietary information and operational systems, including our property management, central reservation, customer relationship management and management reporting systems. Any damage to, or failure of, our systems could interrupt our service. Our systems are vulnerable to damage or interruption as a result of power loss, telecommunications failures, computer viruses, fires, floods, earthquakes, interruptions in access to our toll-free numbers, hacking or other attempts to harm our systems, and similar events. Our servers, which are maintained in Shanghai, may also be vulnerable to break-ins, sabotage and vandalism. Some of our systems are not fully redundant, and our disaster recovery planning does not account for all possible scenarios. In addition, our systems and technologies may become outdated and we may not be able to replace or introduce upgraded systems as quickly as our competitors or within budgeted costs for such upgrades. If we experience frequent or persistent system failures, our quality of services and our reputation could be harmed. The steps we need to take to increase the reliability and redundancy of our systems may be costly, which could reduce our operating margin, and may not be successful in reducing the frequency or duration of system failures and service interruptions.

 

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Any failure to protect our trademarks and other intellectual property rights could have a negative impact on our business.

We believe our brand, trade name, trademarks and other intellectual property are critical to our success. “Home Inn” is a highly recognized brand in the economy hotel segment of China’s lodging industry. The success of our business depends in part upon our continued ability to use our brand, trade names and trademarks to increase brand awareness and to further develop our brand. The unauthorized reproduction of our trademarks could diminish the value of our brand and its market acceptance, competitive advantages or goodwill. In addition, our proprietary information and operational systems, which have not been patented or otherwise registered as our property, are a key component of our competitive advantage and our growth strategy.

Monitoring and preventing the unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult. The measures we take to protect our brand, trade names, trademarks and other intellectual property rights may not be adequate to prevent their unauthorized use by third parties. Furthermore, the application of laws governing intellectual property rights in China and abroad is uncertain and evolving, and could involve substantial risks to us. If we are unable to adequately protect our brand, trade names, trademarks and other intellectual property rights, we may lose these rights and our business may suffer materially.

Accidents or injuries in our hotels may adversely affect our reputation and subject us to liability.

There are inherent risks of accidents or injuries in hotels. One or more accidents or injuries at any of our hotels could adversely affect our safety reputation among customers and potential customers, decrease our overall occupancy rates and increase our costs by requiring us to take additional measures to make our safety precautions even more visible and effective. If accidents or injuries occur at any of our hotels, we may be held liable for costs related to the injuries. Our current property and liability insurance policies may not provide adequate coverage and we may be unable to renew our insurance policies or obtain new insurance policies without increases in cost or decreases in coverage levels.

We may not be able to develop hotel properties on a timely or cost-efficient basis, which may adversely affect our growth strategy and business.

We develop all of our leased-and-operated hotels directly. Our involvement in the development of properties presents a number of risks, including construction delays or cost overruns, which may result in increased project costs or forgone revenue. We may be unable to recover development costs we incur for projects that are not pursued to completion. Properties that we develop could become less attractive due to market saturation or oversupply, with the result that we may not be able to recover development costs at the expected rate, or at all. In addition, we may not have available cash to complete projects that have commenced, or we may be unable to obtain financings for development of future properties on favorable terms, if at all. If we are unable to successfully manage our hotel development to minimize these risks, our growth strategy and business prospects may be adversely affected.

Our costs and expenses may remain constant or increase even if our revenues decline.

A significant portion of our operating costs, including rent, is fixed. Accordingly, a decrease in our revenues could result in a disproportionately higher decrease in our earnings because our operating costs and expenses are unlikely to decrease proportionately. For example, the period during which China’s Spring Festival holiday falls generally accounts for a lower portion of our annual revenues than the other periods, but our expenses do not vary as significantly as changes in occupancy and revenues, since we need to continue to pay rent and salary, make regular repairs, maintenance and renovations and invest in other capital improvements throughout the year to maintain the attractiveness of our hotels. Our property development and renovation costs may increase as a result of increasing costs of materials. However, we have a limited ability to pass increased costs to customers through room rate increases. Therefore, our costs and expenses may remain constant or increase even if our revenues decline.

 

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Our lessors’ failure to comply with lease registration and other compliance requirements under PRC law may subject these lessors or us to fines or other penalties that may negatively affect our ability to operate our hotels.

As an operator and manager of hotel properties, we, our franchisees and those from whom we lease properties, are subject to a number of land- and property-related legal requirements. For instance, under PRC law, all lease agreements are required to be registered with the local housing bureau. Our standard lease agreement generally requires the lessor to make such registrations. However, as of December 31, 2006, lessors of 47 hotels we lease and operate had not obtained registrations of their leases from the relevant authorities as required. We continue to remind these lessors to obtain registrations under our lease agreements with them. In addition, based on the specific land use right certificates and property ownership certificates currently held by some of our lessors, certain hotel properties we lease are restricted to industrial and other uses, rather than for commercial service use. The failure of our lessors to register lease agreements as required by law or to ensure that the hotel properties are operated in compliance with their designated use may subject these lessors or us to fines or other penalties which may negatively affect our ability to operate the hotels covered under those leases.

We have limited insurance coverage.

We carry property insurance that covers the assets that we own at our hotels, but not the buildings or any other assets owned by our lessors. Although we require our lessors to purchase customary insurance policies, we cannot guarantee that they will adhere to such requirements. If we were held liable for amounts and claims exceeding the limits of our insurance coverage or outside the scope of our insurance coverage, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected. In addition, we do not have any business disruption insurance coverage for our operations to cover losses that may be caused by natural disasters or catastrophic events, such as SARS or avian flu. Any business disruption or natural disaster may result in our incurring substantial costs and diversion of our resources.

If we are unable to maintain our hotels’ good condition and attractive appearance, our hotel occupancy rates may decline.

In order to maintain our hotels’ good condition and attractive appearance, our hotels require ongoing renovations and other leasehold improvements, including periodic replacement of furniture, fixtures and equipment. If we and our franchisees do not make needed leasehold investments and improvements, we could lose our market share to our competitors and our hotel occupancy rates may decline.

The growth of on-line and other hotel reservation intermediaries and travel consolidators may adversely affect our margins and profitability.

Some of our hotel rooms are booked through travel intermediaries and consolidators to whom we pay commissions for such services. If these intermediaries and consolidators become the primary channel through which our customers make their bookings, they may be able to negotiate higher commissions, reduced room rates, or other significant concessions from us. We believe that the aim of such intermediaries and consolidators is to have consumers develop loyalties to their reservation systems rather than to our brand. The operations of these travel intermediaries and consolidators may adversely affect our ability to control the supply and price of our room inventory, which would in turn adversely affect our margins and profitability.

If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud.

We are subject to reporting obligations under the U.S. securities laws. The Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, adopted rules requiring every public company to include a management report on such company’s internal

 

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controls over financial reporting in its annual report, which contains management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. In addition, an independent registered public accounting firm must attest to and report on management’s assessment of the effectiveness of the company’s internal controls over financial reporting. These requirements will first apply to our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ending on December 31, 2007. Our management may conclude that our internal controls over our financial reporting are not effective. Moreover, even if our management concludes that our internal controls over financial reporting is effective, our independent registered public accounting firm may still decline to attest to our management’s assessment or may issue a report that is qualified if it is not satisfied with our internal controls or the level at which our controls are documented, designed, operated or reviewed, or if it interprets the relevant requirements differently from us. Our reporting obligations as a public company will place a significant strain on our management, operational and financial resources and systems for the foreseeable future. Prior to our initial public offering in October 2006, we were a young, private company with limited accounting and other resources with which to adequately address our internal controls and procedures. When our independent registered public accounting firm audited our consolidated financial statements for the three years ended December 31, 2005, they identified certain control deficiencies, including two material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Audit Standard No. 2 of the Public Company Accounting Standards Board. Specifically, the two material weaknesses identified by our independent registered public accounting firm consisted of (i) our lack of adequate review and monitoring over financial reporting and disclosure process, as well as our lack of sufficient control over the financial closing and reporting procedures; and (ii) the lack of sufficient U.S. GAAP knowledge of our accounting staff. We have taken measures to remediate these material weaknesses and other control deficiencies, including implementing additional control procedures, reinforcing the existing controls and recruiting additional finance and accounting personnel. As a result, when our independent registered public accounting firm audited our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2006, they noted that most of the factors causing the above two material weaknesses had been remediated or improved. We plan to remediate our material weaknesses and other control deficiencies in time to meet the deadline for compliance with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. If, however, we fail to timely achieve and maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, we may not be able to conclude that we have effective internal controls over financial reporting. Our failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting could result in the loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements, which in turn could harm our business and negatively impact the trading price of our ADSs. Furthermore, we anticipate that we will incur considerable costs and devote significant management time and efforts and other resources to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

We incur increased costs as a result of being a public company.

As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company prior to our initial public offering in October 2006. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as new rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and Nasdaq, have required changes in corporate governance practices of public companies. We expect these new rules and regulations to increase our legal, accounting and financial compliance costs and to make certain corporate activities more time-consuming and costly. In addition, we incur ongoning additional costs associated with our public company reporting requirements. We are currently evaluating and monitoring developments with respect to these new rules, and we cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.

The new M&A rule sets forth complex procedures for acquisitions conducted by foreign investors which could make it more difficult to pursue growth through acquisitions.

On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, namely, the PRC Ministry of Commerce, the State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, or SASAC, the State Administration for Taxation, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, and the PRC State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, jointly adopted the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the New M&A Rule, which became effective on

 

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September 8, 2006. The New M&A Rule sets forth complex procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex, including requirements in some instances that the Ministry of Commerce be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise. We may grow our business in part by acquiring complementary businesses or assets in China. Complying with the requirements of the New M&A Rule to complete such transactions could be time-consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining approval from the Ministry of Commerce, may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions, which could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share.

If the relevant PRC authorities take the position that this offering is subject to their approval because a shareholder of ours is controlled by a state-owned entity, we may be subject to administrative sanctions or penalties.

A notice issued by the State Council of China in June 1997, or the State Council notice, required certain PRC companies to receive approval from relevant PRC authorities prior to transferring assets out of China for purposes of effecting a public offering and listing. Specifically, the State Council notice provides that, if a non-public offshore company with “PRC funds,” or a PRC funded company, plans to issue and list shares outside the PRC, approval from the relevant government authorities at the provincial level or higher or the approval of the CSRC may be required. The ultimate owner of Poly Victory, one of our shareholders, is BTG, a PRC state-owned enterprise. Although Poly Victory currently holds 20.1% of our outstanding voting securities, it does not control or have significant influence on us as we have a controlling group that in the aggregate owns 26.7% of our outstanding voting securities. This group consists of seven individuals who are unrelated to Poly Victory or BTG and who have entered into an acting-in-concert agreement. Under the terms of the State Council notice, it is not clear whether Poly Victory’s investment in our company would cause us to be treated as a PRC funded company for purposes of the notice. Our PRC counsel, Commerce & Finance Law Offices, has advised us that the State Council notice does not apply to Poly Victory in the context of this offering because Poly Victory has no control over us, and no application for approval from any PRC government authority in connection with this offering has been made. However, if any relevant government authority subsequently determines that the State Council notice applies to this offering, we may be subject to administrative sanctions or penalties.

Risks Related to Doing Business in China

Adverse changes in economic and political policies of the PRC government could have a material adverse effect on the overall economic growth of China, which could adversely affect our business.

We conduct substantially all of our business operations in China. As the travel industry is highly sensitive to business and personal discretionary spending levels, it tends to decline during general economic downturns. Accordingly, our results of operations, financial condition and prospects are subject to a significant degree to economic developments in China. China’s economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including with respect to the amount of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. While the PRC economy has experienced significant growth in the past 20 years, growth has been uneven across different regions and among various economic sectors of China. The PRC government has implemented various measures to encourage economic development and guide the allocation of resources. While some of these measures benefit the overall PRC economy, they may also have a negative effect on us. For example, our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in environmental, health, labor or tax regulations that are applicable to us.

The PRC government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth through the allocation of resources, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies. Since late 2003, the PRC

 

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government implemented a number of measures, such as increasing the People’s Bank of China’s statutory deposit reserve ratio and imposing commercial bank lending guidelines that had the effect of restricting loans to certain industries. These actions, as well as future actions and policies of the PRC government, could materially affect our liquidity and access to capital and our ability to operate our business.

Uncertainties with respect to the Chinese legal system could adversely affect us.

We conduct our business primarily through our subsidiaries in China. Our operations in China are governed by PRC laws and regulations. Our subsidiaries are generally subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign investments in China and, in particular, laws applicable to foreign-invested enterprises. The PRC legal system is based on written statutes. Prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. Since 1979, PRC legislation and regulations have significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investments in China. However, China has not developed a fully integrated legal system and recently-enacted laws and regulations may not sufficiently cover all aspects of economic activities in China. In particular, because these laws and regulations are relatively new, and because of the limited volume of published court decisions and their nonbinding nature, the interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations involve uncertainties. In addition, any litigation in China may be protracted and result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention.

Governmental control of currency conversion may affect the value of your investment.

The PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of RMB into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of China. We receive substantially all of our revenues in RMB. Under our current structure, our income will be primarily derived from dividend payments from our PRC subsidiaries. Shortages in the availability of foreign currency may restrict the ability of our PRC subsidiaries and our affiliated entity to remit sufficient foreign currency to pay dividends or other payments to us, or otherwise satisfy their foreign currency dominated obligations. Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, interest payments and expenditures from trade-related transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval from SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, for most capital account items, approval from appropriate government authorities is required where RMB is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of bank loans denominated in foreign currencies. The PRC government may also at its discretion restrict access in the future to foreign currencies for current account transactions. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currency to satisfy our currency demands, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders, including holders of our ADSs.

Fluctuation in the value of the RMB may have a material adverse effect on your investment.

The value of the RMB against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government changed its decade-old policy of pegging the value of the RMB to the U.S. dollar. Under the new policy, the RMB is permitted to fluctuate within a managed band based on market supply and demand and by reference to a basket of certain foreign currencies. This change in policy has resulted in an approximately 6.1% appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar between July 21, 2005 and December 31, 2006. While the international reaction to the RMB revaluation has generally been positive, there remains significant international pressure on the PRC government to adopt an even more flexible currency policy, which may result in a further and more significant appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar. Our revenues and costs are mostly denominated in the RMB, and a significant portion of our financial assets are also denominated in the RMB. We rely entirely on dividends paid to us by our subsidiaries in China. Any significant revaluation of the RMB may materially and adversely affect our cash flows, revenues, earnings and financial position, and the value of, and any dividends payable on, our ADSs in U.S. dollars. For example, an appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar would make any new RMB-denominated investments or expenditures more costly to us, to the extent that we need to convert

 

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U.S. dollars into the RMB for such purposes. An appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar would also result in foreign currency translation losses for financial reporting purposes when we translate our U.S. dollar denominated financial assets into the RMB, as the RMB is our reporting currency. As of December 31, 2006, our U.S. dollar denominated financial assets consisted solely of a cash balance of approximately US$82.5 million. We expect to have additional U.S. dollar denominated assets from the net proceeds we will receive from this offering pending our application of such proceeds to the uses described in “Use of Proceeds.”

Recent PRC regulations relating to the establishment of offshore special purpose companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident shareholders to personal liability and limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiaries, limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute profits to us, or otherwise adversely affect us.

SAFE issued a public notice in October 2005 requiring PRC residents to register with the local SAFE branch before establishing or controlling any company outside of China for the purpose of capital financing with assets or equity of PRC companies, referred to in the notice as an “offshore special purpose company.” Under this public notice, PRC residents who are shareholders and/or beneficial owners of such offshore special purpose companies were required to register with the local SAFE branch before March 31, 2006. We have requested our shareholders and/or beneficial owners who are subject to the registration requirements under the SAFE notice to register with the local SAFE branch. Failure of these shareholders and/or beneficial owners to register with the local SAFE branch as required by the SAFE notice or failure of future shareholders of our company who are PRC residents to comply with the registration procedures set forth in the SAFE notice may subject such shareholders and/or beneficial owners to fines and other government actions and may also limit our ability to fund our PRC subsidiaries, limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to our company or otherwise adversely affect our business.

We rely principally on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, and any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries entities to make payments to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.

We are a holding company, and we rely principally on dividends from our subsidiaries in China for our cash requirements, including any debt we may incur. Current PRC regulations permit our subsidiaries to pay dividends to us only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. In addition, each of our subsidiaries in China are required to set aside a certain amount of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain statutory reserves. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. As of December 31, 2006, aggregate net assets of RMB 154.6 million (US$19.8 million) were not distributable in the form of dividends to us due to these PRC regulations. Furthermore, if our subsidiaries in China incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us. In addition, the PRC tax authorities may require us to adjust our taxable income under the contractual arrangements we currently have in place in a manner that would materially and adversely affect our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends and other distributions to us. Any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute dividends or other payments to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our businesses, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business.

PRC regulation of loans and direct investment by offshore holding companies to PRC entities may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds we will receive from this offering to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC operating subsidiaries.

In utilizing the proceeds we will receive from this offering in the manner described in “Use of Proceeds,” as an offshore holding company of our PRC operating subsidiaries, we may make loans to our PRC subsidiaries, or we may make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries. Any loans to our PRC subsidiaries are subject to PRC regulations. For example, loans by us to our subsidiaries in China, which are foreign-invested enterprises, to finance their activities cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the SAFE.

 

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We may also decide to finance our subsidiaries by means of capital contributions. These capital contributions must be approved by the PRC Ministry of Commerce or its local counterpart. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain these government approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future capital contributions by us to our subsidiaries. If we fail to receive such approvals, our ability to use the proceeds we will receive from this offering and to capitalize our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

We have benefited from certain financial subsidies and preferential tax treatments in China. Reduction or elimination of these subsidies or preferential tax treatments may have an adverse effect on our income tax expense and net income.

Various local tax authorities in China have provided financial subsidies in the form of certain tax refunds to us. However, these tax authorities may reduce or eliminate any or all of these financial subsidies at any time in the future. There is no assurance that we will continue to receive any financial subsidies in the form of tax refunds or otherwise as the grant of such subsidies is within the discretion of relevant local government authorities. In addition, some of our subsidiaries are subject to lower enterprise income tax rates or tax exemptions due to the preferential tax treatments granted by the local tax authorities. For example, our wholly owned subsidiary, Hemei Hotel Management Company, enjoys a 15% enterprise income tax rate due to its place of incorporation and operation in the Pudong New District of Shanghai. If such preferential tax treatments granted by local tax authorities are deemed to be in violation of national laws and regulations or are abolished or altered, our subsidiaries will be subject to the standard enterprise income tax rate, which currently is 33%. Under current PRC regulations, if it is determined that a taxpayer has underpaid tax due to prior advice from relevant tax authorities, the taxpayer may still be required to pay the full amount of unpaid tax within three years after such determination but the taxpayer will not be subject to any penalty or late payment fee. On March 16, 2007, the National People’s Congress, the Chinese legislature, passed a new tax law, which will take effect on January 1, 2008. The new law applies a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate to both foreign-invested enterprises and domestic enterprises. There will be a transition period for enterprises, whether foreign-invested or domestic, which currently receive preferential tax treatments granted by relevant tax authorities. Enterprises that are subject to an enterprise income tax rate lower than 25% may continue to enjoy the lower rate and gradually transfer to the new tax rate within five years after the effective date of the new law. Enterprises that are currently entitled to exemptions or reductions from the standard income tax rate for a fixed term may continue to enjoy such treatment until the fixed term expires. Preferential tax treatments will continue to be granted to industries and projects that are strongly supported and encouraged by the state, and enterprises otherwise classified as “new and high technology enterprises strongly supported by the state” will be entitled to a 15% enterprise income tax rate. However, the new tax law does not define this term. The new tax law also provides that enterprises established outside of China whose “de facto management bodies” are located in China are considered “resident enterprises” and will generally be subject to the uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on their global income. The new tax law does not define the term “de facto management bodies.” As of December 31, 2006, we recorded total deferred tax assets of approximately RMB32.1 million (US$4.1 million). As a result of the new tax law, we are in the process of evaluating the impact of the new tax law on our deferred tax assets and may be required to make necessary adjustments, which may result in a charge on our income tax expenses. We currently cannot estimate the amount or materiality of such charge, if any. Any material charge on our income tax expenses may have a material adverse effect on our net income in 2007. Reduction or elimination of the financial subsidies or preferential tax treatments we currently enjoy or imposition of additional taxes on us or our subsidiaries in China may have a material adverse effect on our income tax expense and net income.

Risks Related to Our ADSs and This Offering

The market price for our ADSs may be volatile.

The market price for our ADSs may be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to factors including the following:

 

   

revisions to our projected financial or operations targets;

 

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actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly operating results;

 

   

changes in projections or estimates relating to our financial or operational performance by securities research analysts;

 

   

conditions in the travel and lodging industries;

 

   

changes in the economic performance or market valuations of other lodging companies;

 

   

announcements by us or our competitors of new products, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments;

 

   

addition or departure of key personnel;

 

   

fluctuations of exchange rates between the RMB and U.S. dollar or other foreign currencies;

 

   

potential litigation or administrative investigations;

 

   

release of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding ADSs or ordinary shares or sales of additional ADSs; and

 

   

general economic or political conditions in China.

In addition, the securities market has from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are not related to the operating performance of particular companies. These market fluctuations may also materially and adversely affect the market price of our ADSs.

You will experience immediate dilution in the net tangible book value of ADSs purchased.

When you purchase ADSs in the offering at the assumed public offering price of US$31.89 per ADS, the last trading price of our ADSs on April 24, 2007, you will incur immediate dilution of US$27.47 per ADS. See “Dilution.” In addition, you may experience further dilution to the extent that additional ordinary shares are issued upon exercise of outstanding options and options we may grant from time to time.

We may need additional capital, and the sale of additional ADSs or other equity securities could result in additional dilution to our shareholders.

We believe that our current cash and cash equivalents, anticipated cash flow from operations and the proceeds from our initial public offering in October 2006 and from this offering will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash needs for the foreseeable future. We may, however, require additional cash resources due to changed business conditions or other future developments, including any investments or acquisitions we may decide to pursue. If these resources are insufficient to satisfy our cash requirements, we may seek to sell additional equity or debt securities or obtain a credit facility. The sale of additional equity securities could result in additional dilution to our shareholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased debt service obligations and could result in operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations. We cannot assure you that financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

Substantial future sales of our ADSs in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.

Additional sales of our ordinary shares in the public market after this offering, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our ADSs to decline. Upon completion of this offering, we will have 69,403,259 ordinary shares outstanding. All shares sold in this offering will be freely transferable without restriction or additional registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. The remaining ordinary shares outstanding after this offering will be available for sale, upon the expiration of the applicable lock-up period, subject to volume and other restrictions as applicable under Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Any or all of these shares may be released prior to expiration of the lock-up period at the discretion of the lead underwriters for this offering. To the extent shares are released before the expiration of the relevant lock-up period and these shares are sold into the market, the market price of our ADSs could decline. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale.”

 

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In addition, certain holders of our ordinary shares have the right to cause us to register the sale of a certain number of our shares under the Securities Act. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in these shares becoming freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon the effectiveness of the registration. Sales of these registered shares in the public market could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.

Our corporate actions are substantially controlled by our officers, directors and principal shareholders.

Seven individual shareholders of our company, namely, Neil Nanpeng Shen, Qi Ji, Chung Lau, Min Fan, Rixin Liang, David Jian Sun and May Wu, have entered into an acting-in-concert agreement, under which they have agreed to act together on all matters requiring shareholder approval and to appoint one representative to vote on behalf of all of them at our shareholder meetings until July 2007. These seven shareholders, who hold a total of 17,769,037 ordinary shares, or 25.6% of our outstanding voting securities immediately after the closing of this offering, could exert substantial influence over matters requiring approval by our shareholders, including electing directors and approving mergers or other business combination transactions. In addition, BTG, through its affiliate, Poly Victory, will own 19.3% of our outstanding voting securities immediately after the closing of this offering and has the right to appoint, and has appointed, two directors of our company. The concentration of our share ownership may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company, which could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their shares as part of a sale of our company and might reduce the price of our ADSs. These actions may be taken even if they are opposed by our other shareholders, including those who purchase ADSs in this offering.

You may not have the same voting rights as the holders of our ordinary shares and may not receive voting materials in time to be able to exercise your right to vote.

Except as described in this prospectus and in the deposit agreement, holders of our ADSs will not be able to exercise voting rights attaching to the shares evidenced by our ADSs on an individual basis. Holders of our ADSs have appointed the depositary or its nominee as their representative to exercise the voting rights attaching to the shares represented by the ADSs. You may not receive voting materials in time to instruct the depositary to vote, and it is possible that you, or persons who hold their ADSs through brokers, dealers or other third parties, will not have the opportunity to exercise a right to vote.

You may not be able to participate in rights offerings and may experience dilution of your holdings as a result.

We may from time to time distribute rights to our shareholders, including rights to acquire our securities. Under the deposit agreement for the ADSs, the depositary will not offer those rights to ADS holders unless both the rights and the underlying securities to be distributed to ADS holders are either registered under the Securities Act or exempt from registration under the Securities Act with respect to all holders of ADSs. We are under no obligation to file a registration statement with respect to any such rights or underlying securities or to endeavor to cause such a registration statement to be declared effective. In addition, we may not be able to take advantage of any exemptions from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, holders of our ADSs may be unable to participate in our rights offerings and may experience dilution in their holdings as a result.

You may be subject to limitations on transfer of your ADSs.

Your ADSs represented by the ADRs are transferable on the books of the depositary. However, the depositary may close its transfer books at any time or from time to time when it deems expedient in connection with the performance of its duties. In addition, the depositary may refuse to deliver, transfer or register transfers of ADSs generally when our books or the books of the depositary are closed, or at any time if we or the depositary deem it advisable to do so because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body, or under any provision of the deposit agreement, or for any other reason.

 

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You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law, conduct substantially all of our operations in China and the majority of our officers reside outside the United States.

We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and conduct substantially all of our operations in China through our wholly owned subsidiaries in China. Most of our officers reside outside the United States and some or all of the assets of those persons are located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an action against us or against these individuals in the Cayman Islands or in China in the event that you believe that your rights have been infringed under the securities laws or otherwise. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Cayman Islands and of China may render you unable to enforce a judgment against our assets or the assets of our directors and officers. There is no statutory recognition in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, although the courts of the Cayman Islands will generally recognize and enforce a non-penal judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits. For more information regarding the relevant laws of the Cayman Islands and China, see “Enforceability of Civil Liabilities.”

Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association and by the Companies Law (2004 Revision) and common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take legal action against our directors and us, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from English common law, which has persuasive, but not binding, authority on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedents in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and provides significantly less protection to investors. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action before the federal courts of the United States.

As a result of all of the above, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests through actions against our management, directors or major shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction in the United States.

Our articles of association contain anti-takeover provisions that could have a material adverse effect on the rights of holders of our ordinary shares and ADSs.

Our articles of association contain provisions limiting the ability of others to acquire control of our company or cause us to enter into change-of-control transactions. These provisions could have the effect of depriving our shareholders of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging third parties from seeking to obtain control of our company in a tender offer or similar transaction. For example, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our shareholders, to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to fix their designations, powers, preferences, privileges, and relative participating, optional or special rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the rights associated with our ordinary shares, in the form of ADS or otherwise. Preferred shares could be issued quickly with terms calculated to delay or prevent a change in control of our company or make removal of management more difficult. If our board of directors decides to issue preferred shares, the price of our ADSs may fall and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common shares and ADSs may be materially and adversely affected.

 

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Our management will have considerable discretion as to the use of our net proceeds from this offering.

We have not allocated the majority of our net proceeds of this offering to any particular purpose. Rather, our management will have considerable discretion in the application of the net proceeds received by us. You will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether proceeds are being used appropriately. You must rely on the judgment of our management regarding the application of the net proceeds of this offering. The net proceeds may be used for corporate purposes that do not improve our efforts to maintain profitability or increase our share price. The net proceeds from this offering may be placed in investments that do not produce income or that lose value.

We may be classified as a passive foreign investment company, which could result in adverse United States federal income tax consequences for U.S. Holders.

Based on the expected price of our ADSs and ordinary shares following this offering, and the composition of our income and assets, we do not expect to be considered a “passive foreign investment company,” or PFIC, for United States federal income tax purposes for our current taxable year ending December 31, 2007, and we expect to operate in such a manner so as not to become a PFIC in the future. However, we must make a separate determination each year as to whether we are a PFIC (after the close of each taxable year). Accordingly, we cannot assure you that we will not be a PFIC for our current taxable year ending December 31, 2007 or any future taxable year. A non-U.S. corporation will be considered a PFIC for any taxable year if either (i) at least 75% of its gross income is passive income or (ii) at least 50% of the value of its assets (based on an average of the quarterly values of the assets during a taxable year) is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income. The value of our assets generally will be determined by reference to the market price of our ADSs and ordinary shares, which may fluctuate considerably. In addition, the composition of our income and assets will be affected by how, and how quickly, we spend the cash we raise in any offering. If we were treated as a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder held an ADS or an ordinary share, certain adverse United States federal income tax consequences could apply to the U.S. Holder. For the definition of “U.S. Holder” and a more detailed discussion of United States federal income tax consequencies to U.S. Holders, see “Taxation—United States Federal Income Taxation—Passive Foreign Investment Company.”

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

You can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “likely to” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include:

 

   

our anticipated growth strategies;

 

   

our future business development, results of operations and financial condition;

 

   

expected changes in our revenues and certain cost or expense items;

 

   

our ability to attract customers and leverage our brand;

 

   

trends and competition in the lodging industry; and

 

   

our ability to develop new hotels at desirable locations in a timely and cost-effective manner.

You should read thoroughly this prospectus and the documents that we refer to in this prospectus with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from and worse than what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. Other sections of this prospectus include additional factors which could adversely impact our business and financial performance. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for our management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately US$44.2 million based on the last trading price of our ADSs on April 24, 2007 of US$31.89 per ADS, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and the estimated offering expenses payable by us. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of ADSs by the selling shareholders.

The primary purposes of this offering are to raise capital to fund working capital, improve our financial strength and flexibility, fund potential strategic acquisitions and for other general corporate purposes.

In utilizing the proceeds we will receive from this offering, as an offshore holding company we are permitted, under PRC regulations, to provide funding to our PRC subsidiaries only through loans or capital contributions. Subject to satisfaction of applicable government registrations and approval requirements, we may extend inter-company loans or make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries to fund their capital expenditures or working capital. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain these government registrations or approvals on a timely basis, if at all. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—PRC regulation of loans and direct investment by offshore holding companies to PRC entities may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds we will receive from this offering to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC operating subsidiaries.”

The foregoing represents our current intentions to use and allocate the net proceeds we will receive from this offering based upon our present plans and business conditions. Our management, however, will have significant flexibility and discretion to apply the net proceeds of this offering. If an unforeseen event occurs or business conditions change, we may use the proceeds we will receive from this offering differently than as described in this prospectus.

Pending use of the net proceeds we will receive from this offering, we intend to hold our net proceeds in demand deposits.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

We have no present plan to declare and pay any dividends on our shares or ADSs in the near future. We currently intend to retain most, if not all, of our available funds and any future earnings to operate and expand our business.

We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands. We rely on dividends from our subsidiaries in China. Current PRC regulations permit our subsidiaries to pay dividends to us only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, each of our subsidiaries in China is required to set aside a certain amount of its accumulated after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain statutory reserves. These reserves may not be distributed as cash dividends. Further, if our subsidiaries in China incur debt on their own behalf, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us.

Our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to distribute dividends, subject to the approval of our shareholders. Even if our board of directors decides to pay dividends, the form, frequency and amount will depend upon our future operations and earnings, capital requirements and surplus, general financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that the board of directors may deem relevant. If we pay any dividends, we will pay our ADS holders to the same extent as holders of our ordinary shares, subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, including the fees and expenses payable thereunder. See “Description of American Depositary Shares.” Cash dividends on our ordinary shares, if any, will be paid in U.S. dollars.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of December 31, 2006:

 

   

on an actual basis;

 

   

on an as adjusted basis to reflect the issuance and sale of 2,956,310 ordinary shares in the form of ADSs by us in this offering at the assumed public offering price of US$15.945 per share, based on the last trading price of our ADSs on April 24, 2007 as adjusted to reflect the ratio of one ADS to two ordinary shares, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

You should read this table together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus and the information under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

 

     As of December 31, 2006  
     Actual    As adjusted(1)  
     RMB    US$    RMB    US$  
     (in thousands)  

Loans

   184,000    23,577    184,000    23,577  

Shareholders’ equity:

           

Ordinary shares, US$0.005 par value, 200,000,000 shares authorized, 65,712,839 shares issued and outstanding on an actual basis, 68,669,149 shares issued and outstanding as adjusted

   2,691    345    2,806    359  

Additional paid-in capital

   813,222    104,204    1,157,919    148,373  

Statutory reserve

   23,415    3,000    23,415    3,000  

Retained earnings

   50,411    6,460    50,411    6,460  

Total shareholders’ equity

   889,739    114,009    1,234,551    158,192  
                     

Total capitalization

   1,073,739    137,586    1,418,551    181,769  
                     

 

(1) A US$1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of US$31.89 per ADS would increase (decrease) the amounts representing total shareholders’ equity and total capitalization by US$1.4 million.

 

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DILUTION

Our net tangible book value as of December 31, 2006 was approximately US$1.65 per share, and US$3.30 per ADS. Net tangible book value per share represents the amount of total tangible assets, minus the amount of total liabilities, divided by the total number of ordinary shares outstanding. Dilution is determined by subtracting net tangible book value per ordinary share from the assumed public offering price per ordinary share.

Without taking into account any other changes in such net tangible book value after December 31, 2006, other than to give effect to our sale of 1,478,155 ADSs in this offering, at the assumed public offering price of US$31.89 per ADS based on the last trading price of our ADSs on April 24, 2007, after deducting underwriting discounts and commission and the estimated offering expenses payable by us, and after deduction of underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, our pro forma net tangible book value at December 31, 2006 would have been US$2.21 per outstanding ordinary share, including ordinary shares underlying our outstanding ADSs, or US$4.42 per ADS. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of US$0.56 per ordinary share, or US$1.12 per ADS, to existing shareholders and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of US$13.74 per ordinary share, or US$27.47 per ADS, to purchasers of ADSs in this offering.

The following table illustrates the dilution on a per ordinary share basis based on the assumed public offering price of US$15.945 per ordinary share based on the last trading price of our ADSs on April 24, 2007 of US$31.89 per ADS and assuming all ADSs are exchanged for ordinary shares:

 

Assumed public offering price per ordinary share

   US$ 15.945

Net tangible book value per ordinary share

   US$ 2.21
      

Amount of dilution in net tangible book value per ordinary share to new investors in the offering

   US$ 13.74
      

Amount of dilution in net tangible book value per ADS to new investors in the offering

   US$ 27.47
      

A US$1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of US$31.89 per ADS would increase (decrease) our pro forma net tangible book value after giving effect to the offering by US$1.4 million, the pro forma net tangible book value per ordinary share and per ADS after giving effect to this offering by US$0.02 per ordinary share and US$0.04 per ADS and the dilution in pro forma net tangible book value per ordinary share and per ADS to new investors in this offering by US$0.48 per ordinary share and US$0.96 per ADS, assuming no change to the number of ADSs offered by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses.

The following table summarizes, on a pro forma basis as of December 31, 2006, the differences between the shareholders as of December 31, 2006 and the new investors with respect to the number of ordinary shares purchased from us, the total consideration paid and the average price per ordinary share paid at the assumed public offering price of US$31.89 per ADS before deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. The pro forma information discussed above is illustrative only.

 

     Ordinary Shares
Purchased
    Total Consideration     Average Price
Per Ordinary
Share
   Average Price
Per ADS
     Number    Percent     Amount    Percent           

Existing shareholders

   66,446,949    96 %   US$ 108,899,131    70 %   US$ 1.64    US$ 3.28

New investors

   2,956,310    4       47,138,363    30       15.945      31.89
                             

Total

   69,403,259    100 %   US$ 156,037,494    100 %     
                             

 

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The discussion and tables above also assume no exercise of any outstanding stock options. As of the date of this prospectus, there are 4,640,486 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options at a weighted average exercise price of US$7.55 per share, and 2,495,719 ordinary shares are available for future issuance upon the exercise of future grants under our share incentive plans. To the extent that any of these options are exercised, there will be further dilution to new investors.

 

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MARKET PRICE INFORMATION FOR OUR ADSs

Our ADSs, each representing two of our ordinary shares, have been listed on the Nasdaq Global Market since October 26, 2006. Our ADSs trade under the symbol “HMIN.” For the period from October 26, 2006 to April 24, 2007 the trading price of our ADSs on the Nasdaq Global Market has ranged from US$21.50 to US$49.50 per ADS. The following table provides the high and low trading prices for our ADSs on the Nasdaq Global Market for each of the months since our initial public offering.

 

     Trading Price
     High    Low
     US$    US$

Monthly Highs and Lows

     

2006 (from October 26)

     

October (from October 26)

   26.77    21.50

November

   34.80    23.65

December

   39.02    30.11

2007

     

January

   47.49    36.05

February

   49.50    39.20

March

   40.79    33.74

April (through April 24)

   37.39    31.45

 

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EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION

Our business is conducted in China and substantially all of our revenues are denominated in RMB. However, periodic reports made to shareholders will be expressed in U.S. dollars using the then current exchange rates. This prospectus contains translations of RMB amounts into U.S. dollars at specific rates solely for the convenience of the reader. The conversion of RMB into U.S. dollars in this prospectus is based on the noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Unless otherwise noted, all translations of financial data from RMB to U.S. dollars in this prospectus were made at a rate of RMB 7.8041 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in effect as of December 31, 2006. We make no representation that any RMB or U.S. dollar amounts could have been, or could be, converted into U.S. dollars or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate, the rates stated below, or at all. The PRC government imposes control over its foreign currency reserves in part through direct regulation of the conversion of RMB into foreign exchange and through restrictions on foreign trade. On April 24, 2007, the noon buying rate was RMB 7.7345 to US$1.00.

The following table sets forth information concerning exchange rates between the RMB and the U.S. dollar for the periods indicated. These rates are provided solely for your convenience and are not necessarily the exchange rates that we used in this prospectus or will use in the preparation of our periodic reports or any other information to be provided to you. The source of these rates is the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

 

      Noon Buying Rate

Period

   Period
End
   Average (1)    Low    High
     (RMB Per US$1.00)

2002

   8.2800    8.2770    8.2800    8.2669

2003

   8.2767    8.2772    8.2800    8.2765

2004

   8.2765    8.2768    8.2774    8.2764

2005

   8.0702    8.1940    8.2765    8.0702

2006

   7.8041    7.9723    8.0702    7.8041

October

   7.8785    7.9018    7.9168    7.8728

November

   7.8340    7.8622    7.8750    7.8303

December

   7.8041    7.8219    7.8350    7.8041

2007

           

January

   7.7714    7.7876    7.8127    7.7705

February

   7.7410    7.7502    7.7632    7.7410

March

   7.7232    7.7369    7.7454    7.7232

April (through April 24)

   7.7345    7.7262    7.7345    7.7125

(1) Annual averages are calculated from month-end rates. Monthly averages are calculated using the average of the daily rates during the relevant period.

 

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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

We were incorporated in the Cayman Islands in order to enjoy the following benefits:

 

   

political and economic stability;

 

   

an effective judicial system;

 

   

a favorable tax system;

 

   

the absence of exchange control or currency restrictions; and

 

   

the availability of professional and support services.

However, certain disadvantages accompany incorporation in the Cayman Islands. These disadvantages include:

 

   

the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States and these securities laws provide significantly less protection to investors; and

 

   

Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the federal courts of the United States.

Our constituent documents do not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities laws of the United States, between us, our officers, directors and shareholders, be arbitrated.

All of our operations are conducted in China, and substantially all of our assets are located in China. A majority of our officers are nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the United States and a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for a shareholder to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.

We have appointed CT Corporation System, 111 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10011, as our agent upon whom process may be served in any action brought against us under the securities laws of the United States.

Maples and Calder, our counsel as to Cayman Islands law, and Commerce & Finance Law Offices, our counsel as to PRC law, have advised us, respectively, that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands and China, respectively, would:

 

   

recognize or enforce judgments of United States courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States; or

 

   

entertain original actions brought in each respective jurisdiction against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.

Maples and Calder has further advised us that a final and conclusive judgment in the federal or state courts of the United States under which a sum of money is payable, other than a sum payable in respect of taxes, fines, penalties or similar charges, may be subject to enforcement proceedings as a debt in the courts of the Cayman Islands under the common law doctrine of obligation.

Commerce & Finance Law Offices has further advised us that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under PRC Civil Procedures Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of PRC Civil Procedures Law based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on reciprocity between jurisdictions.

 

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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

Our Selected Consolidated Financial Data

You should read the following information in conjunction with our and Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated financial statements and related notes and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included elsewhere in this prospectus.

The following table presents our selected consolidated financial information. The selected consolidated statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and the selected consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2005 and 2006 have been derived from our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our consolidated statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and our consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006 have been derived from our consolidated financial statements for the relevant periods which have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company, an independent registered public accounting firm, and are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and reflect our current corporate structure as if it had been in existence throughout the relevant periods. Our selected consolidated statement of operations data for the year ended December 31, 2002 and our consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2002 and 2003 have been derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements which are not included in this prospectus. We have prepared the unaudited consolidated financial information on the same basis as our audited consolidated financial statements. The unaudited consolidated financial information includes all adjustments, consisting only of normal and recurring adjustments, that we consider necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position and operating results for the periods presented. Our historical results do not necessarily indicate results expected for any future periods.

We have been actively managing Home Inns Beijing since its inception. Home Inns Hong Kong’s ownership in Home Inns Beijing was accounted for under the equity method since Home Inns Beijing’s inception until April 2004, because during this period of time, BTG had substantive participation rights that enabled it to veto significant decisions made by Home Inns Hong Kong. In April 2004, Home Inns Hong Kong and Beijing Capital Travel, a subsidiary of BTG, entered into a revised joint venture agreement, under which Home Inns Hong Kong obtained control of Home Inns Beijing. As a result, Home Inns Beijing has been our consolidated subsidiary since then.

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2002    2003    2004     2005     2006  
     RMB    RMB    RMB     RMB     RMB     US$  
     (in thousands, except share, per share and per ADS data)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data

              

Revenues:

              

Leased-and-operated hotels

   —      —      93,687     279,948     567,895     72,769  

Franchised-and-managed hotels

   —      —      2,313     5,913     20,605     2,640  
                                  

Total revenues

   —      —      96,000     285,861     588,500     75,409  
                                  

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

   —      —      (5,101 )   (16,830 )   (33,977 )   (4,354 )
                                  

Net revenues

   —      —      90,899     269,031     554,523     71,055  
                                  

 

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     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2002     2003     2004     2005     2006  
     RMB     RMB     RMB     RMB     RMB     US$  
     (in thousands, except share, per share and per ADS data)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data (continued)

            

Operating costs and expenses(1):

            

Leased-and-operated hotel costs:

            

Rents and utilities

   —       —       (30,703 )   (94,784 )   (171,576 )   (21,985 )

Personnel costs

   —       —       (12,949 )   (41,225 )   (87,980 )   (11,274 )

Depreciation and amortization

   —       —       (5,681 )   (23,335 )   (44,620 )   (5,717 )

Consumables, food and beverage

   —       —       (6,441 )   (20,765 )   (43,482 )   (5,572 )

Others

   —       —       (8,162 )   (26,100 )   (56,019 )   (7,178 )
                                    

Total leased-and-operated hotel costs

   —       —       (63,936 )   (206,209 )   (403,677 )   (51,726 )
                                    

Sales and marketing expenses

   —       —       (2,113 )   (7,691 )   (11,488 )   (1,472 )

General and administrative expenses

   (40 )   (365 )   (16,127 )   (24,789 )   (64,792 )   (8,302 )
                                    

Total operating costs and expenses

   (40 )   (365 )   (82,176 )   (238,689 )   (479,957 )   (61,500 )
                                    

Income (loss) from operations

   (40 )   (365 )   8,723     30,342     74,566     9,555  
                                    

Interest income

   2     1     89     222     6,578     843  

Interest expense

   —       —       (98 )   (709 )   (6,143 )   (787 )

Other non-operating income

   —       —       325     2,146     5,308     680  

Foreign exchange gain (loss), net

       144     254     (6,990 )   (896 )
                                    

Income (loss) before income tax expense, minority interests and share of income of affiliated companies

   (38 )   (364 )   9,183     32,255     73,319     9,395  
                                    

Income tax expense

   —       —       (5,738 )   (6,525 )   (21,391 )   (2,741 )

Minority interests

   —       —       552     (4,797 )   (5,034 )   (645 )

Share of income (loss) of affiliated companies

   (535 )   1,878     1,972     —       —       —    
                                    

Net income (loss)

   (573 )   1,514     5,969     20,933     46,894     6,009  
                                    

Amount allocated to participating preferred shareholders

   —       (868 )   (2,960 )   (9,487 )   (16,174 )   (2,073 )
                                    

Net income (loss) available to ordinary shareholders

   (573 )   646     3,009     11,446     30,720     3,936  
                                    

Earnings (loss) per share:

            

Basic

   (0.05 )   0.06     0.15     0.42     0.86     0.11  

Diluted

   (0.05 )   0.06     0.15     0.40     0.82     0.10  

Earnings (loss) per ADS(2):

            

Basic

   (0.10 )   0.12     0.30     0.84     1.73     0.22  

Diluted

   (0.10 )   0.12     0.30     0.80     1.64     0.21  

Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding:

            

Basic

   11,000,000     11,000,000     19,981,424     27,399,140     35,550,114     35,550,114  

Diluted

   11,000,000     11,000,000     20,315,681     28,713,188     37,530,332     37,530,332  

(1) Share-based compensation expenses are included in the consolidated statement of operations data as follows:

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,
     2002    2003    2004    2005    2006
     RMB    RMB    RMB    RMB    RMB    US$
     (in thousands)

Leased-and-operated hotel costs—personnel costs

   —      —      8    8    12    2

General and administrative expenses

   —      —      141    952    16,283    2,086

 

(2) Each ADS represents two ordinary shares.

 

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The following table presents a summary of our consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006:

 

     As of December 31,
     2002    2003    2004    2005    2006
     RMB    RMB    RMB    RMB    RMB    US$
     (in thousands)

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

                 

Cash and cash equivalents

   1,797    11,342    26,292    37,727    758,004    97,129

Total assets

   6,983    47,466    174,304    375,002    1,320,019    169,144

Current portion of long-term loan from a related party

   —      —      —      —      10,000    1,281

Total current liabilities

   2,054    2,193    39,768    119,187    323,229    41,418

Deferred rental

   —      —      11,890    26,534    44,103    5,651

Long-term loan from a related party

   —      —      —      40,000    50,000    6,407

Convertible preferred shares

   —      813    813    949    —      —  

Ordinary shares

   455    455    1,134    1,134    2,691    345

Additional paid-in capital

   5,046    43,062    110,687    152,878    813,222    104,204

Total shareholders’ equity

   4,929    45,273    116,861    179,083    889,739    114,009

 

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Home Inns Beijing’s Selected Consolidated Financial Data

You should read the following information in conjunction with Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated financial statements and related notes and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included elsewhere in this prospectus.

The following selected consolidated financial information has been derived from Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated statement of operations data and consolidated balance sheet data for the year ended December 31, 2004 and as of December 31, 2004 have been derived from its consolidated financial statements for the relevant periods which have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company, an independent registered public accounting firm, and are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

We have been actively managing Home Inns Beijing since its inception. Home Inns Hong Kong’s ownership in Home Inns Beijing was accounted for under the equity method since Home Inns Beijing’s inception until April 2004, because during this period of time, BTG had substantive participation rights that enabled it to veto significant decisions made by Home Inns Hong Kong. In April 2004, Home Inns Hong Kong and Beijing Capital Travel, a subsidiary of BTG, entered into a revised joint venture agreement, under which Home Inns Hong Kong obtained control of Home Inns Beijing. As a result, Home Inns Beijing has been our consolidated subsidiary since then.

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2004  
    

RMB

(in thousands)

 

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

  

Revenues:

  

Leased-and-operated hotels

   112,914  

Franchised-and-managed hotels

   2,364  
      

Total revenues

   115,278  
      

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

   (6,150 )
      

Net revenues

   109,128  
      

Operating costs and expenses(1):

  

Leased-and-operated hotel costs:

  

Rents and utilities

   (36,463 )

Personnel costs

   (15,653 )

Consumables, food and beverage

   (8,149 )

Depreciation and amortization

   (6,685 )

Others

   (10,019 )
      

Total leased-and-operated hotel costs

   (76,969 )
      

Sales and marketing expenses

   (2,563 )

General and administrative expenses

   (16,607 )
      

Total operating costs and expenses

   (96,139 )
      

Income from operations

   12,989  
      

Interest income

   110  

Interest expense

   (125 )

Other non-operating income

   328  
      

Income before income tax expense and minority interests

   13,302  
      

Income tax expense

   (6,861 )

Minority interests

   1,294  

Share of income of affiliated companies

   —    
      

Net income

   7,735  
      

 

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(1) Includes share-based compensation expenses are included in the statement of operations data as follows:

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,
     2004
     RMB
     (in thousands)

Leased-and-operated hotel costs—personnel costs

   8

General and administrative expenses

   141

The following table presents a summary of Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2004:

 

     As of December 31,
     2004
     RMB
     (in thousands)

Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

  

Cash and cash equivalents

   16,710

Total assets

   130,562

Total current liabilities

   39,900

Deferred rental

   11,890

Paid-in capital

   68,945

Additional paid-in capital

   150

Total shareholders’ equity

   78,346

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with the section entitled “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results and the timing of selected events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus.

Overview

We are a leading economy hotel chain in China, based on the number of our hotels and the number of our hotel rooms, as well as the geographic coverage of our hotel chain. We develop and operate economy hotels across China under our award-winning Home Inn brand. We have experienced substantial growth while maintaining profitability since 2003. Our Home Inns hotels in operation grew rapidly from 10 hotels in four cities at the end of 2003 to 134 hotels in 39 cities as of the end of 2006, and our net income grew from RMB 1.5 million in 2003 to RMB 46.9 million (US$6.0 million) in 2006, representing a CAGR of 215%. As of March 31, 2007, our Home Inns hotel chain consisted of 97 leased-and-operated hotels in operation with an additional 36 leased-and-operated hotels under development and 48 franchised-and-managed hotels in operation and an additional 12 franchised-and-managed hotels under development, covering 53 cities in China.

We have achieved our growth by utilizing two business models. We either lease properties on which we develop and operate hotels, or we franchise our brand to hotel owners and manage these hotels. We refer to the former type of hotels as “leased-and-operated hotels” and to the latter type of hotels as “franchised-and-managed hotels.” Our recent growth has been primarily organic, through developing and operating additional hotels in existing markets and expanding the geographic reach of our hotel chain. We intend to develop and operate additional hotels under both business models to maintain or achieve a dominant position in every market covered by our Home Inns hotel chain.

Our operating results are subject to conditions typically affecting the lodging industry, including changes in the national, regional or local economic conditions in China; natural disasters or travelers’ fears of exposure to serious contagious diseases; the attractiveness of our hotels to customers and competition from other hotels; local market conditions, such as an oversupply of, or a reduction in demand for, hotel rooms; and increases in operating costs and expenses due to inflation and other factors. Unfavorable changes in any of these conditions could negatively impact our occupancy rates, average daily rates and, as a result, RevPAR or otherwise adversely affect our results of operations. While our operating results are influenced by conditions typically affecting the lodging industry and also by conditions in each of the geographic markets we operate, they are more directly affected by company-specific key performance indicators as discussed below.

Key Performance Indicators

We utilize a set of non-financial and financial key performance indicators which our senior management reviews frequently. The review of these indicators facilitates timely evaluation of the performance of our business and effective communication of results and key decisions, allowing us to react promptly to changing customer demands and market conditions.

Our non-financial key performance indicators consist of the increase in the total number of hotels and hotel rooms in our Home Inns hotel chain as well as the RevPAR achieved by our hotels. The increase in the number of hotels in our hotel chain is largely affected by the demand for our hotels in various cities and our ability to successfully identify and secure new properties and develop new hotels at desirable locations. RevPAR is a commonly used operating measure in the hospitality industry and is defined as the product of average occupancy

 

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rates and average daily rates achieved. Occupancy rates of our hotels mainly depend on the locations of our hotels, the effectiveness of our sales and brand promotion efforts, our ability to maintain the consistency and quality of our facilities and service, the performance of managerial and other employees of our hotels, as well as our ability to respond to competitive pressure. We set room rates of our hotels primarily based on the location of a hotel and room rates charged by our competitors within the same locality. Changes in RevPAR primarily due to changes in average occupancy rates achieved have different implications on our total revenues and profitability than changes in RevPAR primarily due to changes in average daily rates achieved. For example, increases in occupancy at our hotels would generally lead to increases in room revenues as well as additional incremental costs, such as housekeeping services, utilities and room amenity costs. However, RevPAR increases due to higher room rates generally would not result in these additional room-related costs. As a result, RevPAR increases due to higher room rates would have a greater positive effect on our profitability.

Our financial key performance indicators consist of our revenue and cost structure, which are discussed in greater details in the following paragraphs. In addition, we use EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, as a key financial performance indicator to assess our operating results before the impact of interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. Given the significant investments that we have made in leasehold improvements, depreciation and amortization expense comprises a significant portion of our cost structure. We believe that EBITDA is widely used by other companies in the lodging industry and may be used by investors as a measure of our financial performance.

Revenues. In 2006, we generated total revenues of RMB 588.5 million (US$75.4 million). Our revenues are significantly affected by the following operating measures, which are widely used in the hospitality industry and appear throughout this prospectus:

 

   

the total number of hotels in our hotel chain;

 

   

the total number of hotel rooms in our hotel chain;

 

   

occupancy rates achieved by our hotels;

 

   

average daily rates achieved by our hotels; and

 

   

the RevPAR achieved by our hotels, which represents the product of average daily rates and occupancy rates.

Our future revenue growth will depend significantly upon our ability to expand our hotel chain into new markets in China and maintain and further increase occupancy rates, average daily rates and RevPAR at existing hotels. As of December 31, 2006, we had entered into binding contracts with lessors of 28 properties for our leased-and-operated hotels which are currently under development. We expect to incur an additional RMB 167 million (US$21.4 million) in capital expenditures in connection with the completion of the leasehold improvements of these hotels. We intend to fund this planned expansion with our operating cash flow and existing cash balance.

 

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The following table sets forth the revenues generated by our leased-and-operated hotels and franchised-and-managed hotels, both in absolute amount and as a percentage of total revenues for the periods indicated.

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2004     2005     2006  
     RMB     %     RMB     %     RMB     US$     %  
     (in thousands except percentages)  

Revenues:

              

Leased-and-operated hotels

   93,687     97.6     279,948     97.9     567,895     72,769     96.5  

Franchised-and-managed hotels

   2,313     2.4     5,913     2.1     20,605     2,640     3.5  
                                          

Total revenues

   96,000     100.0     285,861     100.0     588,500     75,409     100.0  
                                          

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

   (5,101 )   (5.3 )   (16,830 )   (5.9 )   (33,977 )   (4,354 )   (5.8 )
                                          

Net revenues

   90,899     94.7     269,031     94.1     554,523     71,055     94.2  
                                          

Leased-and-operated Hotels. In 2006, we generated revenues of RMB 567.9 million (US$72.8 million) from our leased-and-operated hotels, which accounted for 96.5% of our total revenues for the year. We expect that revenues from our leased-and-operated hotels will continue to constitute a substantial majority of our total revenues in the foreseeable future.

For our leased-and-operated hotels, we lease properties from real estate owners or lessors and we are responsible for hotel development and customization to conform to the standards of Home Inns, as well as for repairs and maintenance and operating costs and expenses of properties over the term of the lease. We are also responsible for all aspects of hotel operations and management, including hiring, training and supervising the managers and employees required to operate our hotels and purchasing supplies. We typically pay fixed rent on a quarterly basis for the first three or five years of the lease term, after which we are generally subject to a 3% to 5% increase every three to five years.

Revenues from our leased-and-operated hotels primarily consist of revenues from sales of room stays and, to a much lesser extent, revenues from sales of food and beverage at our hotels and other services. We recognize revenues from sales of room stays, food and beverage when our services are rendered.

Franchised-and-managed Hotels. In 2006, we generated revenues of RMB 20.6 million (US$2.6 million) from our franchised-and-managed hotels, which accounted for 3.5% of our total revenues for the year. We expect that revenues from our franchised-and-managed hotels will increase in the foreseeable future as we add more franchised-and-managed hotels in our hotel chain.

For our franchised-and-managed hotels, we franchise our “Home Inn” brand to franchisees who are property owners, lessors or existing hotel operators, and we are generally responsible for managing these hotels. Under a typical franchise agreement between us and a franchisee, the franchisee is generally required to pay us an initial franchise fee of RMB 200,000 to RMB 300,000, annual franchise fees of 3% of the revenues of the hotel, as well as an annual management fee of 3% of the revenues of the hotel. The franchisee is responsible for the costs of hotel development and customization to conform to the standards of Home Inns, as well as for repairs and maintenance and operating expenses of the hotel. We assist the franchisee in property design, construction, systems installation, and hotel personnel recruiting and training before the franchised-and-managed hotel commences operations. We allow our franchisees to utilize our integrated hotel information and operational systems, such as central reservation system, and charge them an annual or variable fee for such use.

We recognize the initial franchise fee as revenue when the franchised-and-managed hotel opens for business, the fee becomes non-refundable, and we have fulfilled all our commitments and obligations. We

 

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recognize ongoing franchise and management fees as revenues when the franchised-and-managed hotel recognizes revenues from which we derive the fees. We recognize fees received from franchisees for system usage, maintenance and support as revenues when our services are rendered.

Operating Costs and Expenses. Our operating costs and expenses consist of costs for our leased-and-operated hotels, sales and marketing expenses, general and administrative expenses and other operating expenses. The following table sets forth the components of our operating costs and expenses, both in absolute amount and as a percentage of total revenues for the periods indicated.

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2004     2005     2006  
     RMB     %     RMB     %     RMB     US$     %  
     (in thousands except percentages)  

Total revenues

   96,000     100.0     285,861     100.0     588,500     75,409     100.0  

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

   (5,101 )   (5.3 )   (16,830 )   (5.9 )   (33,977 )   (4,354 )   (5.8 )
                                          

Net revenues

   90,899     94.7     269,031     94.1     554,523     71,055     94.2  
                                          

Leased-and-operated hotel costs:

              

Rents and utilities

   (30,703 )   (32.0 )   (94,784 )   (33.1 )   (171,576 )   (21,985 )   (29.2 )

Personnel costs

   (12,949 )   (13.5 )   (41,225 )   (14.4 )   (87,980 )   (11,274 )   (14.9 )

Depreciation and amortization

   (5,681 )   (5.9 )   (23,335 )   (8.2 )   (44,620 )   (5,717 )   (7.6 )

Consumables, food and beverage

   (6,441 )   (6.7 )   (20,765 )   (7.3 )   (43,482 )   (5,572 )   (7.4 )

Others

   (8,162 )   (8.5 )   (26,100 )   (9.1 )   (56,019 )   (7,178 )   (9.5 )
                                          

Total leased-and-operated hotel costs

   (63,936 )   (66.6 )   (206,209 )   (72.1 )   (403,677 )   (51,726 )   (68.6 )
                                          

Sales and marketing expenses

   (2,113 )   (2.2 )   (7,691 )   (2.7 )   (11,488 )   (1,472 )   (2.0 )

General and administrative expenses

   (16,127 )   (16.8 )   (24,789 )   (8.7 )   (64,792 )   (8,302 )   (11.0 )
                                          

Total operating costs and expenses

   (82,176 )   (85.6 )   (238,689 )   (83.5 )   (479,957 )   (61,500 )   (81.6 )
                                          

Leased-and-operated Hotel Costs. Our leased-and-operated hotel costs consist of costs and expenses directly attributable to our operation of leased-and-operated hotels, primarily including rental payments and utility costs for hotel properties, compensation and benefits for our hotel-based employees, costs of hotel room consumable products, depreciation and amortization of leasehold improvements, and commissions to travel intermediaries and consolidators. We anticipate that our leased-and-operated hotel costs will increase as we continue to open new leased-and-operated hotels and hire additional hotel-based employees.

Sales and Marketing Expenses. Our sales and marketing expenses primarily consist of advertising expenses, production costs of marketing materials, expenses associated with our membership reward program, and compensation and benefits for our sales and marketing personnel, including personnel at our centralized reservation center. We expect that our sales and marketing expenses will increase as we further expand into new geographic locations and promote our brand.

General and Administrative Expenses. Our general and administrative expenses primarily consist of compensation and benefits for our corporate office employees and other employees who are not sales and marketing or hotel-based employees, costs of third-party professional services, and rental payments relating to office and administrative functions. We expect that our general and administrative expenses will increase in the near term as we hire additional personnel and incur additional costs in connection with the expansion of our business and with being a publicly traded company, including costs of enhancing our internal control.

Our leased-and-operated hotel costs and general and administrative expenses include share-based compensation expenses. The following table sets forth the allocation of our share-based compensation expenses

 

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both in absolute amount and as a percentage of total share-based compensation expenses, among the cost and expense items set forth below. Share-based compensation expenses are allocated among these items based on the nature of the work our employees were assigned to perform.

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,
     2004    2005    2006
     RMB    %    RMB    %    RMB    US$    %
     (in thousands except percentages)

Leased-and-operated hotel costs—personnel costs

   8    5.4    8    0.8    12    2    0.1

General and administrative expenses

   141    94.6    952    99.2    16,283    2,086    99.9
                                  

Total share-based compensation expenses

   149    100.0    960    100.0    16,295    2,088    100.0
                                  

We adopted an Employee’s Stock Option Plan, or the Option Plan, in 2003 and have granted options and stock purchase rights under the Option Plan since 2003. Prior to December 31, 2005, we accounted for share-based compensation arrangements in accordance with Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” or APB No. 25, and complied with the disclosure provisions of SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” or SFAS No. 123. Under APB No. 25, compensation cost is recognized based on the difference, if any, between the estimated fair value of our ordinary shares and the amount an employee is required to pay to acquire the ordinary shares, as determined on the date the option is granted. Total compensation cost is recorded in shareholders’ equity as additional paid-in capital and deferred share-based compensation. Deferred share-based compensation is amortized on a straight-line basis and charged to expense over the vesting period of the underlying options.

We adopted a 2006 Share Incentive Plan, or the 2006 Plan, in 2006 and have granted options under the 2006 Plan. Beginning on January 1, 2006, we adopted SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment,” or SFAS No. 123 (R), under which share-based compensation expenses have been recognized generally over the vesting period of the award based on the fair value of the award on the grant date. The adoption of SFAS No. 123(R) in 2006 resulted in the recognition of incremental share-based compensation costs in 2006 of RMB 684,295 (US$87,684) and a reduction in net income of RMB 684,295 (US$87,684).

Taxation

We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands. Under the current law of the Cayman Islands, we are not subject to income or capital gains tax. In addition, dividend payments are not subject to withholding tax in the Cayman Islands.

Home Inns Hong Kong is subject to a profit tax at the rate of 17.5% on assessable profit determined under relevant Hong Kong tax regulations. To date, Home Inns Hong Kong has not been required to pay profit tax as it had no assessable profit.

Our subsidiaries and affiliated entities in China are subject to a business tax at a rate of approximately 5.5% on revenues generated from providing services and related surcharges by various local tax authorities. In addition, our subsidiaries and affiliated entities in China are generally subject to the standard enterprise income tax rate, which currently is 33%. However, some of our subsidiaries are subject to lower enterprise income tax rates due to the preferential tax treatments granted by the local tax authorities. For example, our wholly owned subsidiary, Hemei Hotel Management Company, enjoys a reduced 15% enterprise income tax rate due to its place of incorporation and operation in the Pudong New District of Shanghai.

Various local tax authorities in China have provided financial subsidies in the form of certain tax refunds to us. However, these tax authorities could reduce or eliminate any or all of these financial subsidies at any time in the future. Reduction or elimination of the financial subsidies we currently enjoy may have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

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On March 16, 2007, the National People’s Congress, the Chinese legislature, passed a new tax law, which will take effect on January 1, 2008. The new law applies a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate to both foreign-invested enterprises and domestic enterprises. There will be a transition period for the enterprises, whether foreign-invested or domestic, which currently receive preferential tax treatments granted by relevant tax authorities. Enterprises that are subject to an enterprise income tax rate lower than 25% may continue to enjoy the lower rate and gradually transfer to the new tax rate within five years after the effective date of the new law. Enterprises that are currently entitled to exemptions or reductions from the standard income tax rate for a fixed term may continue to enjoy such treatment until the fixed term expires. Preferential tax treatments will continue to be granted to industries and projects that are strongly supported and encouraged by the state, and enterprises otherwise classified as “new and high technology enterprises strongly supported by the state” will be entitled to a 15% enterprise income tax rate. However, the new tax law does not define this term. The new tax law also provides that enterprises established outside of China whose “de facto management bodies” are located in China are considered “resident enterprises” and will generally be subject to the uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on their global income. The new tax law does not define the term “de facto management bodies.” Reduction or elimination of the financial subsidies or preferential tax treatments we currently enjoy or imposition of additional taxes on us or our subsidiaries in China may have a material adverse effect on our income tax expense, net income and results of operations. As of December 31, 2006, we recorded total deferred tax assets of approximately RMB32.1 million (US$4.1 million). As a result of the new tax law, we are in the process of evaluating the impact of the new tax law on our deferred tax assets and may be required to make necessary adjustments, which may result in a charge on our income tax expenses. We currently cannot estimate the amount or materiality of such charge, if any. Any material charge on our income tax expenses may have a material adverse effect on our net income in 2007. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We have benefited from certain financial subsidies and preferential tax treatments in China. Reduction or elimination of these subsidies or preferential tax treatments may have an adverse effect on our income tax expense and net income.”

Critical Accounting Policies

We prepare financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which requires us to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of our assets and liabilities and the disclosure of our contingent assets and liabilities at the end of each fiscal period and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during each fiscal period. We continually evaluate these judgments and estimates based on our own historical experience, knowledge and assessment of current business and other conditions, our expectations regarding the future based on available information and assumptions that we believe to be reasonable, which together form our basis for making judgments about matters that are not readily apparent from other sources. Since the use of estimates is an integral component of the financial reporting process, our actual results could differ from those estimates. Some of our accounting policies require a higher degree of judgment than others in their application.

The selection of critical accounting policies, the judgments and other uncertainties affecting application of those policies and the sensitivity of reported results to changes in conditions and assumptions are factors that should be considered when reviewing our financial statements. We believe the following accounting policies involve the most significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our financial statements.

Basis of Consolidation

Our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus include the financial statements of Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc., its subsidiaries and variable interest entity, or VIE, subsidiaries.

We applied the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, Interpretation No. 46 (Revised 2003), Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51,” or FIN46(R), to account for certain entities in which equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support.

 

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Under FIN46(R), a company is required to consolidate a VIE if that company has a variable interest that will absorb a majority of the expected losses, receives a majority of the entity’s expected residual returns, or both. The company that absorbs a majority of the VIE’s expected losses and receives a majority of the VIE’s expected residual returns is a primary beneficiary.

We are the primary beneficiary of four variable interest entities, Home Inns & Hotels Management (Xiamen) Co., Ltd, or Home Inns Xiamen, Home Inns & Hotels Management (Fuzhou) Co., Ltd, or Home Inns Fuzhou, Home Inns & Hotels Management (Caoxi) Co., Ltd, or Home Inns Caoxi, and Home Inns & Hotels Management (Caobao) Co., Ltd, or Home Inns Caobao, of which the principal activity generally relates to hotel management. The total registered capital of the four VIEs was RMB 4.0 million (US$0.5 million) as of December 31, 2006. The entities were considered variable interest entities because the equity at risk of each entity was not sufficient to finance its intended activities without additional financial support. We have a 51% ownership interest in Home Inns Xiamen, Home Inns Fuzhou and Home Inns Caoxi and 75% ownership interest in Home Inns Caobao, and we are considered the primary beneficiary of these entities because we absorb a majority of the entities’ expected losses and receive a majority of the entities’ expected residual returns. As a result, the operations of the VIEs are included in our consolidated financial statements since their incorporation in 2004.

The entities that operate the franchised-and-managed hotels are considered variable interest entities as the franchisees do not have the ability to make decisions that have a significant impact on the success of the franchise arrangement. However, as the franchisees provide all necessary capital to finance the operation of the franchised properties and absorb a majority of the expected losses, we are not considered the primary beneficiary of those entities.

Property and Equipment

We state property and equipment at cost less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses, if any. We depreciate property and equipment to write off their cost less expected residual value, on a straight line basis over their expected useful lives.

At each balance sheet date, we consider both internal and external sources of information to assess whether there is any indication that assets included in property and equipment are impaired. If any such indication exists, we estimate the recoverable amount of assets and, if less than carrying value, an impairment loss is recognized to reduce the carrying value of the assets to their recoverable amount. We recognize such impairment losses in the consolidated profit and loss account. The gain or loss on disposal of property and equipment is the difference between the net sales proceeds and the carrying amount of the underlying asset, and is recognized in the consolidated profit and loss account.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquired entity over the appropriate share of the fair value of the identifiable assets, including separately identifiable intangible assets, and liabilities acquired. The provisions of SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets,” or SFAS 142, require that a two-step impairment test be performed annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. The first step of the test for impairment compares the book value of our reporting unit under which goodwill is recorded to its estimated fair value. The second step of the goodwill impairment test, which is only required when the net book value of the reporting unit exceeds the fair value, measures impairment as the difference between the implied fair value of goodwill and its book value. Goodwill is not amortized. We recognized no impairment for the periods presented in this prospectus.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets consist primarily of intangible assets acquired in business combinations. We apply the criteria specified in SFAS No. 141 “Business Combinations,” or SFAS 141, to determine whether an intangible

 

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asset should be recognized separately from goodwill. We recognize intangible assets acquired through business acquisitions as assets separate from goodwill if they satisfy either the “contractual-legal” or “separability” criterion. We recognize and measure intangible assets, including favorable lease agreements and certain franchise agreements existing as of the date of acquisition, at fair value upon acquisition. Intangible assets from such business combination transactions are amortized over the remaining operating lease term or the franchise agreement term, as appropriate. We state purchased software at cost, which comprises purchase price less accumulated amortization and impairment, if any.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets and Definite-lived Intangible Assets

We review long-lived assets and definite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable in accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-lived Assets,” or SFAS 144. We assess the recoverability of the long-lived assets and definite-lived intangible assets (other than goodwill) by comparing the carrying amount to the estimated future undiscounted cash flow associated with the related assets. If the estimated future undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying value, an indication of impairment is present and we recognize a loss for the difference between fair value, using the expected discounted cash flows, and the carrying value of the assets. We use estimates and judgments in these impairment tests, and if different estimates or judgments had been utilized, the timing or the amount of the impairment charges could be different. We recognised no impairment for the periods presented.

Accruals for Customer Reward Program

We invite our customers to participate in a customer reward program. Prior to November 14, 2004, membership was free of charge. We commenced charging a one-time membership fee after that date for new members. Members enjoy discounts on room rates, priority in hotel reservation, and accumulate membership points for their paid stays, which can be redeemed for membership upgrades, room night awards and other gifts. The estimated incremental costs to provide membership upgrades, room night awards and other gifts are accrued and recorded as a provision for customer reward program as members accumulate points and recognized as sales and marketing expense in the accompanying statement of operations. As members redeem awards or their entitlements expire, the provision is reduced correspondingly. As of December 31, 2005 and 2006, we made provisions of RMB 776,645 and RMB 2,743,366 (US$351,529), respectively, based on the estimated liabilities under the customer reward program.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue from leased-and-operated hotels represents primarily room rentals and food and beverage sales from the leased-and-operated hotels. We recognize such revenues when goods and services are delivered.

Revenues from franchised-and-managed hotels are derived from franchise agreements where the franchisees are required to pay (i) an initial one-time franchise fee and (ii) on-going management and service fees based on a percentage of revenue, which approximate 5% to 6% of the room revenues of the franchised hotels. The one-time franchise fee is recognized when the franchised hotel opens for business, the fee becomes non-refundable, and we have fulfilled all of our commitments and obligations, including having provided the assistance to the franchisees in property design, leasehold improvement construction project management, systems installation, personnel recruiting and training. On-going management and service fees are recognized when the underlying service revenue is recognized by the franchisees’ operations. Other revenues generated from franchise agreements include system maintenance and support fee and central reservation system usage fee, which are recognized when services are provided.

Revenues from the one-time membership fees are recognized over the estimated average customer relationship period. Prior to 2006, given the limited history in operating our customer reward program, all

 

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one-time membership fees were recognized as deferred revenue when received. In 2006, our management made an analysis on the historic pattern of the activities of membership cards and noted that membership cards with no activities for more than one year are most likely to expire in the future and therefore we recognized revenue from one-time membership fees when membership records show lack of usage activity for a year. For the year ended December 31, 2006, we recognized revenues of RMB 1,802,462 (US$230,963) from one-time membership fees.

Share-based Compensation

Prior to December 31, 2005, we accounted for share-based compensation arrangements in accordance with APB No. 25, and complied with the disclosure provisions of SFAS No. 123. Under APB No. 25, compensation cost is recognized based on the difference, if any, between the estimated fair value of our ordinary shares and the amount an employee is required to pay to acquire the ordinary shares, as determined on the date the option is granted. Total compensation cost is recorded in shareholders’ equity as additional paid-in capital and deferred share-based compensation. Deferred share-based compensation is amortized on a straight-line basis and charged to expense over the vesting period of the underlying options.

Effective January 1, 2006, we adopted the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123(R), which revises SFAS No. 123, and supersedes APB No. 25. Under the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123(R), we applied the prospective transition method and measured share-based compensation at fair value on the awards’ grant date based on the estimated number of awards that are expected to vest. Under the prospective transition method, we continued to account for non-vested awards outstanding under the provisions of APB No. 25. Only awards granted (or modified, repurchased, or cancelled) after the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R) were accounted for under the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R). The “deferred share-based compensation” line on our consolidated balance sheet, a contra-equity line representing the amount of unrecognized share-based compensation costs, was eliminated as of January 1, 2006.

We have granted options to our directors, officers and other employees under our option plans. The following table sets forth a summary of our option grants since the beginning of 2004.

 

Date of Grant

   Number of Ordinary
Shares Underlying
Options Granted
  

Option Exercise
Price

(in US$/Share)

  

Fair Value of
Ordinary Shares

(in US$/Share)

   Type of
Valuation
 

03/01/2004

   604,182    0.3309    0.1239    (1 )

09/01/2004

   542,428    0.3309    0.7589    (1 )

01/01/2005

   461,589    0.3309    0.9324    (1 )

07/01/2005

   180,000    1.5310    1.3327    (1 )

12/01/2005

   586,483    2.2500    1.9730    (1 )

03/01/2006

   300,000    1.5310    2.7170    (2 )

03/17/2006

   510,000    2.7170    2.7170    (2 )

07/04/2006

   302,000    3.2020    3.2020    (2 )

10/02/2006

   659,000    5.5000    5.5000    (3 )

12/26/2006

   156,000    16.6400    16.6400    (4 )

04/20/2007

   1,443,600    17.3950    17.3950    (4 )

(1) Retrospective valuation by the independent appraiser.
(2) Contemporaneous valuation by the independent appraiser.
(3) Good faith determination by our board of directors based on the midpoint of the then-estimated price range for our initial public offering.
(4) Closing price on the Nasdaq Global Market on the grant date.

On April 10, 2007, our board of directors approved the grant of options to our employees to purchase shares totaling approximately 2% of our current total outstanding shares in 2007, or approximately 1.3 million shares. Names of grantees, option exercise price and other material terms will be finalized by us and approved by our compensation committee.

 

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Determination of the amount of share-based compensation expense to be recognized requires significant judgment, including, most importantly, the estimated fair value of our ordinary shares underlying the options as of each date of grant. We engaged an independent appraiser to assist in the determination of the fair value of our ordinary shares underlying options as of each date of grant since January 1, 2004. Determining the fair value of ordinary shares requires making complex and subjective judgments regarding projected financial and operating results, our unique business risks, the liquidity of our shares and our operating history and prospects at the time of grant.

In assessing the fair value of our ordinary shares, our independent appraiser considered the following principal factors:

 

   

the nature of our company since our inception;

 

   

the global economic outlook in general and the specific economic and competitive elements affecting our business and market;

 

   

the nature and prospects of the lodging industry in China;

 

   

the market-derived investment returns of entities engaged in the hotel operation business;

 

   

the growth of our operations; and

 

   

our business risks.

Our independent appriaiser believes the income approach, also known as the discounted cash flow, or DCF, approach, to be most relevant and reliable only if it is a contemporaneous valuation in which the key assumptions exist at the valuation date and are not biased by hindsight. As we were a young, start-up company prior to 2006 and did not prepare cash flow projections during the period, our independent appraiser adopted the market approach to determine the fair values of our ordinary shares as of various dates in 2004 and 2005. Under this approach, financial ratios and market price data of comparable companies are analyzed. Ten comparable companies were selected primarily based on the nature of the business, the geographical location and the consideration of other market participants. The ten companies selected are primarily engaged in the hotel operation business. Our independent appraiser determined market multiples of the comparable companies based on the latest available financial information. The market multiples were then adjusted to take into account our growth and business risk. The market multiples so derived were applied to our performance indicators and discounted to reflect the lack of liquidity.

Our independent appraiser used a combination of the income approach and the market approach to assess the fair value of our ordinary shares in 2006. The income approach involves applying appropriate discount rates to estimated cash flows that are based on earnings forecasts. The major assumptions used in deriving the fair values are consistent with our business plan, including:

 

   

opening schedule of new hotels;

 

   

average occupancy rate;

 

   

average daily room rate; and

 

   

operating margins.

Other major assumptions used by our independent appraiser in calculating the fair values of our ordinary share in 2006 include the following:

 

   

Weight of DCF and market multiples: The independent appraiser assigned 60% weight to the DCF approach and 40% weight to the market multiples approach because we had achieved better visibility of future earnings at the time, which made the DCF approach more meaningful.

 

   

Weighted average costs of capital, or WACC: WACC of between 15% and 16.5% were used. This was the combined result of the changes in risk-free rate, industry average beta, and the decrease in our company-specific risk as we continued to grow and meet important milestones.

 

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Capital market valuation multiples: The independent appraiser obtained and assessed updated capital market valuation data of ten comparable companies.

 

   

Lack of marketability discount, or LOMD: The independent appraiser quantified the LOMD by the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. This method treats the right to sell our ordinary shares freely before a liquidity event as a put option. The farther the valuation date is from a liquidation event, the higher the option value and thus the higher the implied LOMD. The LOMD was determined to be 6.9%.

The above assumptions used by our independent appraiser in deriving the fair values were consistent with our business plan and major milestones achieved by us. Our independent appraiser also used other general assumptions, including the following:

 

   

no material changes in the existing political, legal, fiscal and economic conditions and travel industry in China;

 

   

no major changes in tax law in China or the tax rates applicable to our subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities in China;

 

   

exchange rates between the Renminbi and U.S. dollars will not differ materially from current rates;

 

   

our future growth will not be constrained by the lack of funding;

 

   

our ability to retain competent management and key personnel to support our ongoing operations; and

 

   

industry trends and market conditions for hotel and related industries will not deviate significantly from economic forecasts.

These assumptions are inherently uncertain. The increase in the fair value of our ordinary shares from January 2004 to July 2006 was primarily attributable to the growth of our revenues and net income as well as the number of hotels in operation as indicated in the table below. In addition, the rapid and substantial expansion of Home Inns hotels during the period has proved the viability of our business strategy and execution capability and enhanced our credibility, as demonstrated by our successful financings through issuance of preferred shares to unrelated third-party investors and obtaining credit facilities from commercial banks.

 

As of and for the Quarter Ended

   Revenues
(in RMB thousands)
  

Net Income

(in RMB thousands)

   No. of Hotels
in Operation
  

Other Major Milestones

03/31/2004

   —      1,922    14   

06/30/2004

   25,580    1,648    17    Obtaining control of Home Inns Beijing

09/30/2004

   32,769    1,864    24   

12/31/2004

   37,651    534    26   

03/31/2005

   45,275    3,126    36    Obtaining RMB40 million financing through issuance of Series C preferred shares to unrelated third-party investors

06/30/2005

   64,131    5,179    44    Obtaining financing from BTG in the form of an RMB80 million credit facility provided by a commercial bank entrusted by BTG

09/30/2005

   77,733    5,199    54   

12/31/2005

   98,722    7,431    68    Obtaining RMB20 million unsecured loans from a commercial bank in China

03/31/2006

   110,672    7,885    75   

06/30/2006

   138,387    19,364    82    Obtaining RMB46 million unsecured loans from a commercial bank in China

 

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Share-based compensation expense recognized for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006 amounted to RMB 149,705, RMB 959,826 and RMB 16,295,324 (US$2,088,046), respectively.

Taxation

Income tax expenses are recorded using the liability method. Deferred tax assets or liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax effects attributable to temporary differences and tax loss carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted income tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized in statements of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce the amount of deferred tax assets if it is considered more likely than not that such assets will not be realized. In doing so, management must make judgments and estimates as to whether we have future taxable income available to utilize the deferred tax assets. As of December 31, 2005 and 2006, we had deferred tax assets of RMB 15,295,113 and RMB 32,091,738 (US$4,112,164), respectively. No valuation allowance was made against the deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2005 and 2006.

Selected Operating Data

The following table presents certain selected operating data of our company as of and for the dates and periods indicated. We present operating data for 2004 to include those of Home Inns Beijing since Home Inns Beijing was managed by us throughout 2004. Our revenues have been and will continue to be significantly affected by these operating measures which are widely used in the hospitality industry.

 

     As of and for the Year
Ended December 31,
     2004    2005    2006

Operating Data:

        

Total hotels in operation:

        

Leased-and-operated hotels(1)

   18    54    94

Franchised-and-managed hotels

   8    14    40

Total rooms

   2,991    8,197    16,162

Geographic coverage:

        

Number of cities

   8    22    39

Occupancy rate (as a percentage)

   86.8    89.8    92.8

Average daily rate (in RMB)

   191    182    182

RevPAR (in RMB)

   166    163    169

(1) Includes four hotels operated through separate joint ventures with third parties. We own 75% of one joint venture and 51% of each of the other three joint ventures.

Results of Operations

In April 2002, we and BTG formed Home Inns Beijing to operate economy hotels in China. We and BTG owned 55% and 45%, respectively, of Home Inns Beijing upon its formation. We have been actively managing Home Inns Beijing since it commenced operations in 2002. Subsequently, Home Inns Hong Kong gradually increased its ownership interest in Home Inns Beijing by contributing additional funds to the registered capital of Home Inns Beijing. Home Inns Hong Kong increased its ownership interest in Home Inns Beijing to 95.59% as of February 2005. In April 2004, we and Beijing Capital Travel, a subsidiary of BTG, entered into a revised joint venture agreement under which we gained control of Home Inns Beijing, which has been our consolidated subsidiary since then. For periods prior to April 2004, we accounted for our interest in Home Inns Beijing using the equity method as BTG had the participation rights in certain decisions in the ordinary course of business of Home Inns Beijing.

 

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The following table sets forth certain unaudited financial data relating to our consolidated results of operations in 2004 assuming we had held a 93.47% interest in Home Inns Beijing and consolidated Home Inns Beijing throughout 2003 and 2004. This information has been derived from Note 7 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and is presented below for you to have a better understanding of the financial results of the Home Inns hotel chain in this period.

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,
     2004
     RMB
     (in thousands)

Net revenues

   109,128

Income from operations

   12,989

Net income

   7,735

 

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Our Selected Quarterly Results of Operations

The following table presents our selected unaudited quarterly results of operations for the eight quarters in the period ended December 31, 2006. This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our business has grown rapidly and substantially since we commenced operations in July 2002. Our limited operating history makes it difficult to predict future operating results. We believe that the quarter-to-quarter comparison of operating results should not be relied upon as being indicative of results for any future quarters or for a full year.

 

    For the Three Months Ended  
    March 31,
2005
    June 30,
2005
    September 30,
2005
    December 31,
2005
    March 31,
2006
    June 30,
2006
    September 30,
2006
    December 31,
2006
 
    (in RMB thousands)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

               

Revenues:

               

Leased-and-operated hotels

  44,203     62,775     75,939     97,031     108,681     134,811     152,956     171,447  

Franchised-and-Managed hotels

  1,072     1,356     1,794     1,691     1,991     3,576     7,396     7,642  
                                               

Total revenues

  45,275     64,131     77,733     98,722     110,672     138,387     160,352     179,089  
                                               

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

  (2,848 )   (3,821 )   (4,370 )   (5,792 )   (5,908 )   (7,436 )   (9,087 )   (11,546 )
                                               

Net revenues

  42,427     60,310     73,363     92,930     104,764     130,951     151,265     167,543  
                                               

Operating costs and expenses(1):

               

Leased-and-operated hotel costs:

               

Rents and utilities

  (15,797 )   (20,904 )   (26,825 )   (31,257 )   (36,512 )   (37,464 )   (45,253 )   (52,347 )

Personnel costs

  (6,435 )   (9,347 )   (10,542 )   (14,901 )   (17,711 )   (18,791 )   (23,409 )   (28,070 )

Consumables, food and beverage

  (2,857 )   (4,752 )   (5,839 )   (7,317 )   (8,166 )   (9,645 )   (11,078 )   (14,593 )

Depreciation and amortization

  (3,843 )   (4,985 )   (5,903 )   (8,603 )   (9,078 )   (10,652 )   (11,320 )   (13,570 )

Others

  (3,913 )   (5,870 )   (7,713 )   (8,603 )   (11,642 )   (11,380 )   (14,348 )   (18,650 )
                                               

Total leased-and-operated hotel costs

  (32,845 )   (45,858 )   (56,822 )   (70,681 )   (83,109 )   (87,932 )   (105,408 )   (127,230 )
                                               

Sales and marketing expenses

  (971 )   (1,783 )   (2,046 )   (2,891 )   (1,683 )   (2,215 )   (3,260 )   (4,329 )

General and administrative expenses

  (5,985 )   (4,565 )   (6,261 )   (7,979 )   (7,223 )   (13,645 )   (28,079 )   (15,843 )
                                               

Total operating costs and expenses

  (39,801 )   (52,206 )   (65,129 )   (81,551 )   (92,015 )   (103,792 )   (136,747 )   (147,402 )
                                               

Income from operations

  2,626     8,104     8,234     11,379     12,749     27,159     14,518     20,141  
                                               

Interest income

  28     68     47     80     68     223     255     6,031  

Interest expense

  —       —       (215 )   (494 )   (1,149 )   (1,570 )   (1,645 )   (1,779 )

Other non-operating income

  1,813     62     117     154     50     1,650     3,265     343  

Foreign exchange gain (loss), net

  210     2     77     (35 )   (48 )   18     (897 )   (6,063 )
                                               

Income before income tax expense, minority interests and share of income (loss) of affiliated companies

  4,677     8,236     8,260     11,084     11,670     27,480     15,496     18,673  
                                               

Income tax expense

  (935 )   (1,657 )   (1,661 )   (2,272 )   (2,739 )   (6,465 )   (6,534 )   (5,653 )

Minority interests

  (616 )   (1,400 )   (1,400 )   (1,381 )   (1,046 )   (1,651 )   (1,060 )   (1,277 )
                                               

Net Income

  3,126     5,179     5,199     7,431     7,885     19,364     7,902     11,743  
                                               

(1) Share-based compensation expenses are included in our operating costs and expenses as follows:

 

 

Leased-and-operated hotel cost - personnel costs

  2     2     2     2     3     3     3     3  

General and administrative expenses

  233     249     230     240     344     685     13,693     1,561  

 

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Excluding the share-base compensation expenses, our quarterly revenues, operating income and net income have experienced continued growth for the eight quarters in the period ended December 31, 2006, except that we experienced a decrease in our operating income and net income in the quarter ended December 31, 2006. This decrease was primarily due to an increase in pre-operating expenses of the hotels under development, as well as an increase in the number of leased-and-operated hotels opened for operation during the quarter.

The following table presents certain selected operating data of our company as of and for the eight quarters in the period ended December 31, 2006.

 

    For the Three Months Ended
    March 31,
2005
  June 30,
2005
  September 30,
2005
  December 31,
2005
  March 31,
2006
  June 30,
2006
  September 30,
2006
  December 31,
2006

Operating Data:

               

Total hotels in operation:

               

Leased-and-operated hotels

  26   34   41   54   60   63   78   94

Franchised-and-managed hotels

  10   10   13   14   15   19   29   40

Total rooms

  4,269   5,372   6,512   8,197   8,972   9,707   12,729   16,162

Geographic coverage:

               

Number of cities

  10   11   13   22   23   26   32   39

Occupancy rate (as a percentage)

  81.6   90.4   93.1   90.9   89.5   97.7   94.0   90.4

Average daily rate (in RMB)

  183   184   181   181   175   186   183   182

RevPAR (in RMB)

  149   166   169   165   157   182   172   165

 

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Our Results of Operations

The following table sets forth a summary of our consolidated results of operations, both in absolute amount and as a percentage of total revenues for the periods indicated. This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our business has grown rapidly and substantially since we commenced operations in July 2002. Our limited operating history makes it difficult to predict future operating results. We believe that the period-to-period comparison of operating results should not be relied upon as being indicative of future performance.

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2004     2005     2006  
     RMB     %     RMB     %     RMB     US$     %  
     (in thousands except percentages)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

              

Revenues:

              

Leased-and-operated hotels

   93,687     97.6     279,948     97.9     567,895     72,769     96.5  

Franchised-and-managed hotels

   2,313     2.4     5,913     2.1     20,605     2,640     3.5  
                                          

Total revenues

   96,000     100.0     285,861     100.0     588,500     75,409     100.0  
                                          

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

   (5,101 )   (5.3 )   (16,830 )   (5.9 )   (33,977 )   (4,354 )   (5.8 )
                                          

Net revenues

   90,899     94.7     269,031     94.1     554,523     71,055     94.2  
                                          

Operating costs and expenses:

              

Leased-and-operated hotel costs:

              

Rents and utilities

   (30,703 )   (32.0 )   (94,784 )   (33.1 )   (171,576 )   (21,985 )   (29.2 )

Personnel costs

   (12,949 )   (13.5 )   (41,225 )   (14.4 )   (87,980 )   (11,274 )   (14.9 )

Depreciation and amortization

   (5,681 )   (5.9 )   (23,335 )   (8.2 )   (44,620 )   (5,717 )   (7.6 )

Consumables, food and beverage

   (6,441 )   (6.7 )   (20,765 )   (7.3 )   (43,482 )   (5,572 )   (7.4 )

Others

   (8,162 )   (8.5 )   (26,100 )   (9.1 )   (56,019 )   (7,178 )   (9.5 )
                                          

Total leased-and-operated hotel costs

   (63,936 )   (66.6 )   (206,209 )   (72.1 )   (403,677 )   (51,726 )   (68.6 )

Sales and marketing expenses

   (2,113 )   (2.2 )   (7,691 )   (2.7 )   (11,488 )   (1,472 )   (2.0 )

General and administrative expenses

   (16,127 )   (16.8 )   (24,789 )   (8.7 )   (64,792 )   (8,302 )   (11.0 )
                                          

Total operating costs and expenses

   (82,176 )   (85.6 )   (238,689 )   (83.5 )   (479,957 )   (61,500 )   (81.6 )
                                          

Income from operations

   8,723     9.1     30,342     10.6     74,566     9,555     12.6  
                                          

Interest income (expense), net

   (9 )   —       (486 )   (0.2 )   435     56     0.1  

Other non-operating income

   325     0.3     2,146     0.8     5,308     680     0.9  

Foreign exchange gain (loss), net

   144     0.2     254     0.1     (6,990 )   (896 )   (1.2 )

Income tax expense

   (5,738 )   (6.0 )   (6,526 )   (2.3 )   (21,391 )   (2,741 )   (3.6 )

Minority interests

   552     0.6     (4,797 )   (1.7 )   (5,034 )   (645 )   (0.9 )

Share of income of affiliated companies

   1,972     2.1     —       —       —       —       —    
                                          

Net income

   5,969     6.3     20,933     7.3     46,894     6,009     7.9  
                                          

 

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Year Ended December 31, 2006 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2005

Revenues. Our total revenues increased by 105.9% from RMB 285.9 million in 2005 to RMB 588.5 million (US$75.4 million) in 2006.

 

   

Leased-and-operated Hotels. Revenues from our leased-and-operated hotels increased by 102.9% from RMB 279.9 million in 2005 to RMB 567.9 million (US$72.8 million) in 2006. This increase was primarily due to our substantial expansion of leased-and-operated hotels from 54 hotels and 6,555 rooms as of December 31, 2005 to 94 hotels and 11,395 rooms as of December 31, 2006.

 

   

Franchised-and-managed Hotels. Revenues from our franchised-and-managed hotels increased substantially by 248.5% from RMB 5.9 million in 2005 to RMB 20.6 million (US$2.6 million) in 2006. This growth was primarily due to an increase in the number of franchised-and-managed hotels from 14 hotels with 1,642 rooms as of December 31, 2005 to 40 hotels with 4,767 rooms as of December 31, 2006.

Operating Costs and Expenses. Our total operating costs and expenses increased substantially from RMB 238.7 million in 2005 to RMB 480.0 million (US$61.5 million) in 2006. This increase resulted from increases in all of our cost and expense line items as we substantially expanded our operations in 2006.

 

   

Leased-and-operated Hotel Costs. Our leased-and-operated hotel costs increased substantially from RMB 206.2 million in 2005 to RMB 403.7 million (US$51.7 million) in 2006. This increase was primarily because all items comprising our leased-and-operated hotel costs increased substantially as we expanded our leased-and-operated hotels from 54 hotels and 6,555 rooms as of December 31, 2005 to 94 hotels and 11,395 rooms as of December 31, 2006.

 

   

Sales and Marketing Expenses. Our sales and marketing expenses increased substantially from RMB 7.7 million in 2005 to RMB 11.5 million (US$1.5 million) in 2006. This increase was primarily due to increased marketing and promotional expenses in connection with 66 new hotels that opened in 2006.

 

   

General and Administrative Expenses. Our general and administrative expenses increased by 161.4% from RMB 24.8 million in 2005 to RMB 64.8 million (US$8.3 million) in 2006, primarily due to an increase in the total compensation and benefits for our administrative staff as a result of our hiring of over 80 new employees in the areas of finance and accounting, human resources and general administration to support our expanded operations in 2006.

Income from Operations. Our income from operations increased by 145.8% from RMB 30.3 million in 2005 to RMB 74.6 million (US$9.6 million) in 2006 as a cumulative result of the above factors.

Interest Income (Expense), Net. We incurred net interest expense of RMB 0.5 million in 2005 due to our then outstanding loans. We recorded net interest income of RMB 0.4 million (US$55,800) in 2006, primarily due to interest income from proceeds of our initial public offering.

Foreign Exchange Gain (Loss), Net. We incurred a net foreign exchange loss of RMB 7.0 million (US$0.9 million) in 2006, as compared to a net foreign exchange gain of RMB 0.3 million, primarily due to the U.S. dollar net proceeds we received from our initial public offering in October 2006 and the RMB appreciation since then until the end of 2006.

Income Tax Expenses. Our income tax expenses increased by 227.8% from RMB 6.5 million in 2005 to RMB 21.4 million (US$2.7 million) in 2006, primarily because of the increased income of our operating subsidiaries in China.

Minority Interest. Minority interest represents BTG’s share of our net income based on its equity interest in Home Inns Beijing and our joint venture partners’ share of the net income of the four leased-and-operated hotels owned by the joint ventures. Minority interest increased substantially to RMB 5.0 million (US$0.6 million) in 2006, due to our increased net income in 2006.

Net Income. As a result of the foregoing, we had net income of RMB 46.9 million (US$6.0 million) in 2006, an increase of 124.0% from net income of RMB 20.9 million in 2005.

 

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Year Ended December 31, 2005 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2004

Revenues. Our total revenues increased by 197.8% from RMB 96.0 million in 2004 to RMB 285.9 million in 2005. In addition to the reasons discussed below, the revenue increase was also due to the effect of our consolidation of Home Inns Beijing since April 2004.

 

   

Leased-and-operated Hotels. Revenues from our leased-and-operated hotels increased by 198.7% from RMB 93.7 million in 2004 to RMB 279.9 million in 2005. This increase was primarily due to our substantial expansion of leased-and-operated hotels from 18 hotels and 2,060 rooms as of December 31, 2004 to 54 hotels and 6,555 rooms as of December 31, 2005.

 

   

Franchised-and-managed Hotels. Revenues from our franchised-and-managed hotels increased substantially from RMB 2.3 million in 2004 to RMB 5.9 million in 2005. This growth was primarily due to an increase in the number of franchised-and-managed hotels from eight hotels with 931 rooms as of December 31, 2004 to 14 hotels with 1,642 rooms as of December 31, 2005.

Operating Costs and Expenses. Our total operating costs and expenses increased substantially from RMB 82.2 million in 2004 to RMB 238.7 million in 2005. This increase resulted from increases in all of our cost and expense line items as we substantially expanded our operations in 2005 and consolidated Home Inns Beijing in April 2004.

 

   

Leased-and-operated Hotel Costs. Our leased-and-operated hotel costs increased substantially from RMB 63.9 million in 2004 to RMB 206.2 million in 2005. This increase was primarily because all items comprising our leased-and-operated hotel costs increased substantially as we expanded our leased-and-operated hotels from 18 hotels and 2,060 rooms as of December 31, 2004 to 54 hotels and 6,555 rooms as of December 31, 2005.

 

   

Sales and Marketing Expenses. Our sales and marketing expenses increased substantially from RMB 2.1 million in 2004 to RMB 7.7 million in 2005. This increase was primarily due to increased marketing and promotional expenses in connection with 42 new hotels that opened in 2005.

 

   

General and Administrative Expenses. Our general and administrative expenses increased by 53.7% from RMB 16.1 million in 2004 to RMB 24.8 million in 2005, primarily due to an increase in the total compensation and benefits for our administrative staff as a result of our hiring of over 60 new employees in the areas of finance and accounting, technology infrastructure, human resources and general administration to support our expanded operations in 2005.

Income from Operations. Our income from operations increased by 247.8% from RMB 8.7 million in 2004 to RMB 30.3 million in 2005 as a cumulative result of the above factors.

Interest Income (Expense), Net. Our net interest expense increased substantially from RMB 9.3 thousand in 2004 to RMB 0.5 million in 2005, primarily due to the interest accrued on our loans from BTG in 2005.

Share of Income of Affiliated Companies. Our share of income of affiliated companies decreased from RMB 2.0 million in 2004 to nil in 2005 because we consolidated Home Inns Beijing in April 2004.

Income Tax Expenses. Our income tax expenses increased by 14.0% from RMB 5.7 million in 2004 to RMB 6.5 million in 2005, primarily because of the increased income of our operating subsidiaries in China.

Minority Interest. Minority interest represents BTG’s share of our net income based on its equity interest in Home Inns Beijing and our joint venture partners’ share of the net income of the four leased-and-operated hotels owned by the joint ventures. Minority interest increased substantially to RMB 4.8 million in 2005, due to our consolidation of Home Inns Beijing since April 2004 as well as our increased net income in 2005.

Net Income. As a result of the foregoing, we had net income of RMB20.9 million in 2005, an increase of 250.7% from net income of RMB6.0 million in 2004.

 

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Home Inns Beijing’s Results of Operations in 2004

The following table sets forth a summary of Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated results of operations both in absolute amount and as a percentage of total revenues for the periods indicated. This information should be read together with Home Inns Beijing’s consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2004     %  
     (in RMB thousands except percentages)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

    

Revenues:

    

Leased-and-operated hotels

   112,914     97.9  

Franchised-and-managed hotels

   2,364     2.1  
            

Total revenues

   115,278     100.0  
            

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

   (6,150 )   (5.3 )
            

Net revenues

   109,128     94.7  
            

Operating costs and expenses:

    

Leased-and-operated hotel costs:

    

Rents and utilities

   (36,462 )   (31.6 )

Personnel costs

   (15,653 )   (13.6 )

Consumables, food and beverage

   (8,149 )   (7.1 )

Depreciation and amortization

   (6,685 )   (5.8 )

Others

   (10,019 )   (8.7 )
            

Total leased-and-operated hotel costs

   (76,968 )   (66.8 )
            

Sales and marketing expenses

   (2,564 )   (2.2 )

General and administrative expenses

   (16,607 )   (14.4 )
            

Total operating costs and expenses

   (96,139 )   (83.4 )
            

Income from operations

   12,989     11.3  
            

Interest income (expense), net

   (15 )   0.0  
            

Other non-operating income

   328     0.3  

Income tax expense

   (6,861 )   (6.0 )

Minority interests

   1,294     1.1  
            

Net income

   7,735     6.7  
            

Our Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our principal sources of liquidity have been cash generated from operating activities, our sale of ordinary shares and preferred shares through private placements, borrowings from BTG and third-party lenders as well as the proceeds we received from our initial public offering. Our cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and liquid investments which are unrestricted as to withdrawal or use, and which have maturities of three months or less that are placed with banks and other financial institutions. As of December 31, 2006, we had entered into binding contracts with lessors of 28 properties for our leased-and-operated hotels under development. We expect to incur an additional RMB 167 million (US$21.4 million) in capital expenditures in connection with the completion of the leasehold improvements of these hotels. We intend to fund this planned expansion with our operating cash flow and existing cash balance.

We have been able to meet our working capital needs, and we believe that we will be able to meet our working capital needs in the foreseeable future, with our operating cash flow and existing cash balance.

 

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The following table sets forth a summary of our cash flows for the periods indicated:

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2004     2005     2006  
     RMB     RMB     RMB     US$  
     (in thousands)  

Net cash provided by operating activities

   28,664     70,604     161,973     20,755  

Net cash used in investing activities

   (42,319 )   (159,339 )   (213,795 )   (27,395 )

Net cash provided by financing activities

   28,605     100,170     779,089     99,831  

Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

   —       —       (6,990 )   (896 )
                        

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

   14,950     11,435     720,277     92,295  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

   11,342     26,292     37,727     4,834  
                        

Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period

   26,292     37,727     758,004     97,129  
                        

Operating Activities

We have financed our operating activities primarily through cash generated from operations. We currently anticipate that we will be able to meet our needs to fund operations beyond the next twelve months with operating cash flow and existing cash balances.

Net cash provided by operating activities increased substantially to RMB 162.0 million (US$20.8 million) in 2006. The increase resulted from our expanded operations in 2006 and was mainly attributable to several factors, including (i) our net income of RMB 46.9 million (US$6.0 million) in 2006, (ii) an add-back of non-cash depreciation and amortization expenses of RMB 46.6 million (US$6.0 million), (iii) an increase in deferred revenues of RMB 12.2 million (US$1.6 million), (iv) an increase in deferred rental of RMB 17.6 million (US$2.3 million), (v) an increase in salary and welfare payable of RMB 14.2 million (US$1.8 million), and (vi) an increase in other payables and accruals of RMB 13.2 million (US$1.7 million), offset in part by the increases in prepayments and other current assets. These changes were primarily attributable to the expansion of the Home Inns hotel chain from 68 hotels with 8,197 hotel rooms as of December 31, 2005 to 134 hotels with 16,162 hotel rooms as of December 31, 2006. Net cash provided by operating activities amounted to RMB 70.6 million in 2005. The increase was mainly attributable to several factors, including (i) our net income of RMB 20.9 million, (ii) an add-back of non-cash depreciation and amortization expenses of RMB 23.8 million, (iii) a substantial increase in deferred rental of RMB 14.6 million, (iv) an increase in income tax payable of RMB 7.6 million, and (v) an increase in deferred revenues of RMB 5.9 million. These changes were primarily attributable to the expansion of the Home Inns hotel chain from 26 hotels with 2,991 hotel rooms as of December 31, 2004 to 68 hotels with 8,197 hotel rooms as of December 31, 2005.

Investing Activities

Our cash used in investing activities is primarily related to our leasehold improvements and purchase of equipment and fixtures used in leased-and-operated hotels. Net cash used in investing activities increased from RMB 159.3 million in 2005 to RMB 213.8 million (US$27.4 million) in 2006, primarily due to an increase in our leasehold improvements and purchase of furniture, fixture and equipment used in an increased number of leased-and-operated hotels in 2006. Net cash used in investing activities increased from RMB 42.3 million in 2004 to RMB 159.3 million in 2005, primarily due to a substantial increase in our leasehold improvements and purchase of equipment and fixtures used in an increased number of leased-and-operated hotels in 2005.

 

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Financing Activities

Our financing activities consist of issuance and sale of our shares to investors and related parties and borrowings from third-party lenders and our initial public offering. The following table sets forth a summary of our outstanding indebtedness as of March 31, 2007:

 

Lender

   Date of
Loan
Initiation
   Due Date   

Principal

(in RMB)

  

Principal

(in US$)

   Interest
Rate
 

China Merchants Bank

   10/12/2006    04/11/2007    20,000,000    2,562,755    5.022 %

China Merchants Bank

   10/16/2006    04/15/2007    20,000,000    2,562,755    5.022 %

China Merchants Bank

   11/29/2006    05/28/2007    4,000,000    512,551    5.022 %

China Merchants Bank

   12/22/2006    04/21/2007    40,000,000    5,125,511    5.022 %

China Merchants Bank

   01/29/2007    05/28/2007    40,000,000    5,125,511    5.022 %

China Merchants Bank

   02/15/2007    08/14/2007    16,000,000    2,050,204    5.022 %

China Merchants Bank

   03/22/2007    09/21/2007    20,000,000    2,562,755    5.103 %

China Merchants Bank (1)

   03/21/2007    09/20/2007    54,310,000    6,959,162    5.103 %

(1) This loan was pledged by bank deposits of US$7,800,000.

We are required under each loan or financing transaction agreement to notify the lender in advance before we enter into a material merger and acquisition, spin-off, corporate reorganization, new joint venture or sale of material assets transaction. None of our lenders have the right to prevent us from entering into any of these transactions. As of March 31, 2007, the remaining funds available under our credit facilities in the aggregate amounted to approximately RMB 40.0 million (US$3.8 million). Our loans from China Merchants Bank were drawn under a revolving credit facility which allows us to renew each loan for additional six-month terms at the same interest rate upon expiration of the initial term.

Net cash provided by financing activities in 2006 amounted to RMB 779.1 million (US$99.8 million) and was primarily attributable to the net proceeds from our initial public offering, offset in part by the amount of debt we repaid during the period. Net cash provided by financing activities increased substantially from RMB 28.6 million in 2004 to RMB 100.2 million in 2005. Cash provided by financing activities in 2005 consisted of a total of RMB 60.0 million borrowings from a related party and third-party lenders and the RMB 40.3 million proceeds from our issuance and sale of preferred shares in the year. Net cash provided by financing activities in 2004 consisted of the RMB 30.4 million proceeds from our issuance and sale of our ordinary shares, partially offset by the repayment of our RMB 3.0 million short-term borrowings in the year.

Home Inns Beijing’s Liquidity and Capital Resources

Home Inns Beijing’s principal sources of liquidity have been cash generated from operating activities and capital contributions from its shareholders. Home Inns Beijing’s cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and liquid investments which are unrestricted as to withdrawal or use, and which have maturities of three months or less that are placed with banks and other financial institutions.

The following table sets forth a summary of Home Inns Beijing’s cash flows for the period indicated:

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,  
     2004  
     (in RMB thousands)  

Net cash provided by operating activities

   36,330  

Net cash used in investing activities

   (67,623 )

Net cash provided by financing activities

   31,720  
      

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

   427  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

   16,283  
      

Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period

   16,710  
      

 

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Operating Activities

Home Inns Beijing has financed its operating activities primarily through cash generated from operations. Net cash provided by operating activities amounted to RMB 36.3 million in 2004.

Investing Activities

Home Inns Beijing’s cash used in investing activities was primarily related to leasehold improvements and purchase of furniture, fixture and equipment used in leased-and-operated hotels. Net cash used in investing activities amounted to RMB 67.6 million in 2004.

Financing Activities

Home Inns Beijing’s cash provided by financing activities was related to capital contributions from its shareholders. Net cash provided by financing activities amounted to RMB 31.7 million in 2004.

Capital Expenditures

Our and Home Inn Beijing’s capital expenditures were incurred primarily in connection with leasehold improvements, investments in furniture, fixtures and equipment and technology, information and operational software. Our capital expenditures totaled RMB 61.7 million, RMB 193.2 million and RMB 237.9 million (US$30.5 million) in 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. Home Inns Beijing’s capital expenditures totaled RMB 70.5 million in 2004. We will continue to make capital expenditures to meet the expected growth of our operations and expect cash generated from our operating activities and financing activities will meet our capital expenditure needs in the foreseeable future.

Contractual Obligations

The following table sets forth our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2006:

 

     Payment Due by Period
     Total    Less than
1 year
   1-3
years
   3-5
years
   More than
5 years
     (in RMB millions)

Long-term debt obligations, including interest payables

   54    3    51    —      —  

Operating lease obligations

   2,354    169    359    367    1,459

Purchase obligations

   136    136    —      —      —  
                        

Total

   2,544    308    410    367    1,459
                        

Our operating lease obligations related to our obligations under lease agreements with lessors of our leased-and-operated hotels. Our purchase obligations primarily consisted of our contractual commitments relating to leasehold improvements and installation of equipment for our leased-and-operated hotels.

Off-Balance Sheet Commitments and Arrangements

Other than operating lease obligations set forth in the table above, we have not entered into any financial guarantees or other commitments to guarantee the payment obligations of any third parties. We have not entered into any derivative contracts that are indexed to our shares and classified as shareholder’s 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.

 

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Inflation

Inflation in China has not materially impacted our results of operations in recent years. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the change of consumer price index in China was 3.9%, 1.8% and 1.5% in 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.

Holding Company Structure

We are a holding company with no material operations of our own. We conduct our operations primarily through our subsidiaries in China. As a result, our ability to pay dividends and to finance any debt we may incur depends upon dividends paid by our subsidiaries. If our subsidiaries or any newly formed subsidiaries incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing their debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends to us. In addition, our subsidiaries are permitted to pay dividends to us only out of their retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Under PRC law, each of Home Inns Beijing, a Sino-foreign enterprise, and Hemei, a wholly foreign owned enterprise, is required to set aside a portion of its after-tax profits each year to fund a statutory reserve and to further set aside a portion of its after-tax profits to fund the employee welfare fund at the discretion of the board or the enterprise itself. Although the statutory reserves can be used, among other ways, to increase the registered capital and eliminate future losses in excess of retained earnings of the respective companies, the reserve funds are not distributable as cash dividends except in the event of liquidation of these subsidiaries.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk

Interest Rate Risk

Our exposure to interest rate risk primarily relates to the interest rates for our outstanding debt and the interest income generated by excess cash invested in liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. As of March 31, 2007, our total outstanding loans amounted to RMB 214.3 million (US$27.5 million) with interest rates varying from 5.022% to 5.103%. We have not used any derivative financial instruments to manage our interest risk exposure. Interest-earning instruments carry a degree of interest rate risk. We have not been exposed to material risks due to changes in interest rates. However, our future interest income may be lower than expected due to changes in market interest rates.

Foreign Exchange Risk

Substantially all of our revenues and most of our expenses are denominated in RMB. Our exposure to foreign exchange risk primarily relates to cash and cash equivalent denominated in U.S. dollars as a result of our past issuances of preferred shares through a private placement and proceeds from this offering. We do not believe that we currently have any significant direct foreign exchange risk and have not hedged exposures denominated in foreign currencies or any other derivative financial instruments. Although in general, our exposure to foreign exchange risks should be limited, the value of your investment in our ADSs will be affected by the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollars and RMB because the value of our business is effectively denominated in RMB, while the ADSs will be traded in U.S. dollars.

The value of the RMB against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in China’s political and economic conditions. The conversion of RMB into foreign currencies, including U.S. dollars, has been based on rates set by the People’s Bank of China. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government changed its decade-old policy of pegging the value of the RMB to the U.S. dollar. Under the new policy, the RMB is permitted to fluctuate within a narrow and managed band against a basket of certain foreign currencies. This change in policy has resulted in an approximately 6.1% appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar by December 31, 2006. There remains significant international pressure on the PRC government to adopt an even more flexible currency policy, which could result in a further and more significant appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar. To the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars we receive from this

 

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offering into RMB for our operations, appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar would have an adverse effect on the RMB amount we receive from the conversion. Conversely, if we decide to convert our RMB denominated cash amounts into U.S. dollars amounts for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our ordinary shares or ADSs or for other business purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the RMB would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount available to us. We have not used any forward contracts or currency borrowings to hedge our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109,” or FIN 48. This interpretation, among other things, creates a two-step approach for evaluating uncertain tax positions. Recognition (step one) occurs when an enterprise concludes that a tax position, based solely on its technical merits, is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. Measurement (step two) determines the amount of benefit that more-likely-than-not will be realized upon settlement. Derecognition of a tax position that was previously recognized would occur when a company subsequently determines that a tax position no longer meets the more-likely-than-not threshold of being sustained. FIN 48 specifically prohibits the use of a valuation allowance as a substitute for derecognition of tax positions, and it has expanded disclosure requirements. The provisions of FIN 48 is effective on January 1, 2007, with the cumulative effect of the change in accounting principle, if any, recorded as an adjustment to opening retained earnings. We are still in the process of assessment of the relevant impact from the adoption of FIN 48.

In September 2006, the SEC released Staff Accounting Bulletin No.108, “Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements,” or SAB No. 108. SAB No. 108 provides interpretive guidance on the SEC’s views on how the effects of the carryover or reversal of prior year misstatements should be considered in quantifying a current year misstatement. The provision of SAB No. 108 is effective for the year ended December 31, 2006. Our management does not believe the adoption of SAB No. 108 had a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements,” or SFAS No. 157, which clarifies the definition of fair value, establishes guidelines for measuring fair value, and expands disclosures regarding fair value measurements. SFAS No. 157 does not require any new fair value measurements and eliminates inconsistencies in guidance found in various prior accounting pronouncements. SFAS No. 157 will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2008. Our management does not believe the adoption of SFAS No. 157 will have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans—an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106, and 132(R),” or SFAS No. 158, which requires plan sponsors of defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans to recognize the funded status of such benefit plans in the consolidated balance sheet, measure the fair value of plan assets and benefit obligations as of the date of the fiscal year-end statement of financial position, and provide additional disclosures. Our management does not believe the adoption of SFAS No. 158 will have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities,” or SFAS No. 159, which permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value that are not currently required to be measured at fair value. SFAS No. 159 will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2008. Our management does not believe the adoption of SFAS No. 159 will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

 

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INDUSTRY BACKGROUND

Emergence and Expansion of Economy Hotel Chains in China

China’s lodging industry has expanded rapidly as a result of the substantial growth of the Chinese economy and travel industry over the past several years. According to Euromonitor, the total number of room-nights in China grew from 811 million in 1999 to 1.2 billion in 2004 and total sales grew from RMB 190 billion in 1999 to RMB 264 billion in 2004.

The lodging industry in China consists of hotels as well as other forms of accommodation such as guesthouses and privately-owned lodging outlets. Although hotels accounted for only approximately 2.5% and 5.0% of total lodging outlets in China in 1999 and 2004, respectively, the hotel sector represents an increasingly significant portion of the lodging market, accounting for approximately 44.5% and 60.2% of total sales in the lodging market in 1999 and 2004, respectively, according to Euromonitor.

Historically, hotel development projects in China generally focused on star-rated hotels that were primarily targeted at international tourists and corporate travelers. In recent years, economy hotel chains have emerged and expanded in China, gaining a growing customer base consisting primarily of individual domestic business and leisure travelers. According to the 2006 China Economy Hotel Survey published by China’s Ministry of Commerce and the China Hotel Association, or the 2006 Economy Hotel Report, since the concept of a branded economy hotel chain was first introduced in China in 1997, several branded economy hotel chains, including Jinjiang Star, Home Inns and Motel 168, have emerged primarily in China’s economically prosperous eastern coastal region. Since 2004, the growth of branded economy hotel chains in China has accelerated, as evidenced by the existing chains’ rapid expansion into new urban business centers in other regions of China.

Economy hotel chains in China mainly target value-conscious domestic business and leisure travelers who demand convenient lodging, a consistent product and high-quality services. According to the 2006 Economy Hotel Report, in 2005, 37% of economy hotel guests were individual business travelers, 23% were contract corporate customers and 20% were individual leisure travelers. Economy hotel chains aim to satisfy customers’ basic accommodation needs with affordable pricing, a comfortable lodging experience and a standardized product.

The following table sets forth a summary of certain data concerning economy hotel chains in China.

 

     Total Number
of Hotels(2)
   Total Number
of Rooms(2)
   Number of Rooms
Per Hotel(2)
   Average Daily Rate
(in RMB) (3)
   Average Occupancy
Rate (%)(2)(3)

2004(1)

   173    21,716    —      —      —  

2005(1)

   273    36,144    58 to 244    134 to 202    85 to 96

(1) Source: 2006 Economy Hotel Report.
(2) Calculated based only on the data of selected economy hotel chains in China as of the end of each year.
(3) The range represents differences across regional market, including the northern, eastern, southeastern, central, southwestern, northwestern, southern, Beijing and Shanghai markets.

According to the 2006 Economy Hotel Report, the top three economy hotel chains in China, namely, Jinjiang Star, Home Inns and Motel 168, had market shares of 20%, 18% and 10%, respectively, of the Chinese economy hotel market in 2005. Competition among economy hotel chains in China is primarily based on a hotel chain’s ability to provide a consistent product, high-quality services, an efficient reservation system and effective sales channels, as well as specific product features including the design, decoration and guest amenities of the hotels within the chain.

The economy hotel chain segment of China’s lodging industry is still at an early stage of development. However, it is expanding rapidly as a result of a number of factors. There are general factors such as the growth

 

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of the Chinese economy and the growth of the travel and lodging industries in China. In addition, there are more specific factors driving the growth of economy hotel chains in China, such as fast-growing small- to medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, the growth of domestic tourism, the expansion of urban business centers and the fragmentation of the hotel industry.

General Factors Driving the Growth of Economy Hotel Chains in China

Growth of the Economy in China. China’s economy has grown and is expected to continue to grow rapidly. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, the gross domestic product in real terms, or real GDP, of China grew from RMB 5.4 trillion (US$677.9 billion) in 2001 to RMB 7.9 trillion (US$984.3 billion) in 2005, representing a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 9.8%, and is expected to reach RMB 11.6 trillion (US$1.4 trillion) in 2010, representing a CAGR of 7.6% from 2006 to 2010.

The following table sets forth a summary of certain data regarding China’s economic growth for the years from 2001 to 2005.

 

     2001    2002    2003    2004    2005    CAGR (2001-2005)  

Real GDP (in billions of RMB)(1)

   5,419    5,911    6,504    7,160    7,869    9.8 %

Real GDP per capita (in RMB)(1) 

   4,246    4,602    5,033    5,508    6,018    9.1 %

Disposable income per capita (in US$)(1)

   490    546    603    682    759    11.5 %

(1) Source: Economist Intelligence Unit.

The following table sets forth a summary of certain projections regarding China’s economic growth for the periods from 2006 to 2010.

 

     2006    2007    2008    2009    2010    CAGR (2006-2010)  

Real GDP (in billions of RMB)(1)

   8,619    9,306    10,034    10,787    11,570    7.6 %

Real GDP per capita (in RMB)(1) 

   6,554    7,034    7,538    8,070    8,618    7.1 %

Disposable income per capita (in US$)(1)

   854    964    1,050    1,130    1,220    9.3 %

(1) Source: Economist Intelligence Unit.

Growth of the Travel Industry in China. Rapid economic growth in China has led to a significant increase in domestic travel activities. Domestic travel volume increased by 75% from approximately 629 million trips in 1995 to approximately 1.1 billion trips in 2004, according to Yearbook of China Tourism Statistics (2005). The substantial increase in domestic travel activities has in turn resulted in significant growth in spending on domestic travel from RMB 352.2 billion (US$44.1 billion) in 2001 to RMB 528.6 billion (US$66.1 billion) in 2005, representing a CAGR of 10.7%, according to Yearbook of China Tourism Statistics (2005).

The following table sets forth a summary of certain data regarding the growth of the travel industry in China for the years from 2001 to 2004.

 

     2001    2002    2003(3)    2004    CAGR (2001-2004)  

Total spending on domestic travel (in billions of RMB)(1)

   352.2    387.8    344.2    471.1    10.2 %

Number of domestic trips (in millions)(1)

   784    878    870    1,102    12.0 %

Number of travelers (overnight visitors) (in millions)(2)

   33.2    36.8    33.0    41.8    8.0 %

Number of domestic air passengers (in millions)(1)

   68.3    77.6    80.8    110.5    17.4 %

(1) Source: China Statistics Yearbook (2005).
(2) Source: Yearbook of China Tourism Statistics (2005).
(3) In 2003, the travel industry in China was negatively affected by the SARS outbreak beginning in March of that year.

 

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Growth of the Lodging Industry in China. The substantial growth of the Chinese economy and travel industry has led to a rapid expansion of the lodging industry in China. According to Yearbook of China Tourism Statistics (2005), the number of star-rated hotels, as rated by China National Tourism Bureau, grew from 1,913 in 1995 to 10,888 in 2004, with the number of hotel rooms growing from 486,114 in 1995 to 1,237,851 in 2004.

The following table sets forth a summary of certain data concerning the lodging industry in China as of the dates indicated.

 

     As of December 31,  
     2001    2002    2003    2004    CAGR (2001-2004)  

Number of one- to three-star hotels(1)

   6,788    8,070    8,826    9,675    12.5 %

Number of four- to five-star hotels(1)

   570    810    925    1,213    28.6 %

Number of hotel rooms of star-rated hotels(1)

   816,260    897,206    992,804    1,237,851    14.9 %

Number of occupied hotel room-nights (in millions)(2)

   174    197    203    275    16.4 %

(1) Source: Yearbook of China Tourism Statistics (2005).
(2) Calculated by multiplying number of hotel rooms by average occupancy rate and 365 days, except for 2004, a leap year, in which there were 366 days.

While the supply of hotel rooms has continued to grow, China’s hotels sector has demonstrated its ability to absorb the increase in room supply due to the strong demand for hotel rooms and the overall economic growth, as evidenced by an increase of 22.5% in RevPAR from 2001 to 2004 and a 51.6% increase in the supply of rooms over the same period.

The following table sets forth a summary of certain operating data of star-rated hotels for the years from 2001 to 2004.

 

     2001    2002    2003    2004

Average occupancy rate (in percentage)(1)(2)

   58.5    60.2    56.1    60.6

Average daily rate (in RMB)(1)

   198.1    210.5    218.0    234.0

RevPAR (in RMB)(1)(2)

   115.8    126.6    122.4    141.8

(1) Source: Yearbook of China Tourism Statistics (2005).
(2) Average occupancy rate and RevPAR in 2003 were negatively affected by the SARS outbreak beginning in March of that year.

Specific Factors Driving the Growth of Economy Hotel Chains in China

Fast Growing SMEs. As a result of PRC economy’s transition from a planned economy to a more market-oriented economy, the number of SMEs in China increased from 21.2 million in 2001 to 23.5 million in 2005, and is expected to reach 30.4 million by the end of 2010, according to iResearch. This growth has led to SMEs’ significant contribution to China’s GDP, which was estimated to be 60% of China’s GDP in 2003 according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Improving the Competitiveness of SMEs Through Enhancing Productive Capacity, UNCTAD/ITE/TEB/2005/1), as well as a substantial increase in business travel by employees of SMEs according to the 2006 Economy Hotel Report. Given their relatively modest budgets, SMEs are generally more value-oriented. As a result, SMEs’ travel policies are more likely to require their employees to stay in economy hotels that provide services tailored to their needs. According to the 2006 Economy Hotel Report, in 2005, 37% of economy hotel guests were individual business travelers, of whom we believe a substantial majority were SME travelers. We believe SME travelers will continue to comprise a substantial and growing portion of the customer base for economy hotels in China.

 

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Growth of Domestic Tourism. In conjunction with growing disposable income per capita in China, the central government and various levels of local governments in China have actively promoted the development of the leisure travel market. According to Euromonitor, domestic tourist expenditure increased by approximately 40% from RMB 394 billion in 1999 to RMB 551 billion in 2004 while tourism spending on accommodation increased by 39% from RMB 190 billion in 1999 to RMB 264 billion in 2004. As China’s economy and disposable income per capita continue to grow, leisure travel activities in China are expected to continue to increase, especially in conjunction with the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.

Expansion of Urban Business Centers. Substantial economic growth in China during the past decades has resulted in the rapid expansion of urban business centers across China, each with a population of over four million people, GDP of over RMB 80 billion (US$10.0 billion) or both. According to China City Statistics Yearbook (2005), China had over 100 cities each with a population of over four million and over 50 cities each with annual GDP of over RMB 80 billion (US$10.0 billion) as of the end of 2004. We believe the expansion of urban business centers has fostered and will continue to support increasing business travel among different business centers across China, resulting in growing demand for economy hotel chains that have broad geographic coverage and strong brand recognition in China.

Fragmentation of the Hotel Industry. The hotel industry is still highly fragmented in China compared to other markets despite an increase of supply in recent years. As of 2004, the top ten hotel brands in China had an approximately 6% share of the Chinese hotel market in terms of sales while the top ten hotel brands in the United States had a 60% share of the U.S. hotel market according to Euromonitor. Most international hotel brands that have a presence in China focus primarily on the upscale segment while many one- to three-star hotels and unrated lodging outlets generally lag in utilizing professional management to deliver quality services. We believe such fragmentation has created opportunities for leading economy hotel chains to further grow and gain market share by focusing on domestic value-conscious customers who demand convenient lodging as well as a consistent product and high-quality services.

 

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BUSINESS

Overview

We are a leading economy hotel chain in China, based on the number of our hotels, the number of our hotel rooms, as well as the geographic coverage of our hotel chain. We develop and operate economy hotels across China under our award-winning “Home Inn” brand. Since we commenced operations in 2002, we have become one of the best-known economy hotel brands in China. We offer a consistent product and high-quality services to primarily serve the fast growing population of value-conscious individual business and leisure travelers who demand clean, comfortable and convenient lodging.

We have achieved our growth by utilizing two business models. We either lease real estate properties on which we develop and operate hotels, or we franchise our brand to hotel owners and manage these hotel properties. We refer to the former type of hotels as “leased-and-operated hotels” and to the latter type of hotels as “franchised-and-managed hotels.” As of March 31, 2007, our Home Inns hotel chain consisted of 97 leased-and-operated hotels in operation with an additional 36 leased-and-operated hotels under development and 48 franchised-and-managed hotels in operation and an additional 12 franchised-and-managed hotels under development, covering 53 cities in China. We have received many awards and accolades for our innovative, consistent and high-quality product and services across our hotel chain, including the “2006 Leading Brand in Economy Hotels in China” from the Chinese Hotel Industry Association, the “Golden Pillow Award” for best brand in economy hotels in China in 2006 from the 21st Century Business Herald, a nationwide economic journal in China, and being named one of the “2006 Top 10 Leading Consumer Brands” by the China Enterprise Culture Improvement Association.

We have experienced substantial growth while maintaining profitability since 2003. Our Home Inns hotels in operation grew rapidly from 10 hotels in four cities as of the end of 2003 to 134 hotels in 39 cities as of the end of 2006, and our net income grew from RMB 1.5 million in 2003 to RMB 46.9 million (US$6.0 million) in 2006, representing a CAGR of 215%.

Our Strengths

We believe that the following competitive strengths contribute to our success and differentiate us from our competitors:

Scale and Leadership in the Economy Hotel Market in China. Home Inns is a leading economy hotel chain in China, with a nationwide network of 145 hotels in operation and an additional 48 hotels under development covering 53 cities as of March 31, 2007. We believe our broad hotel network, strong brand recognition and reputation have allowed us to attract customers and establish our leading market position. We have a loyal customer base, as evidenced by the extensive Home Inns membership network consisting of approximately 200,000 active members as of December 31, 2006. Members of our Home Inns membership network contributed approximately 44% of our total room-nights sold in 2006. We believe we are usually our customers’ first choice when they travel to different cities due to our extensive geographic coverage and consistent product and high-quality service.

Our early-mover status in many of our markets and established regional operational synergy have enabled us to develop and operate hotels efficiently and successfully in our targeted markets. As a leading national branded economy hotel chain in China, we have been able to establish credibility with property owners and secure desirable properties on favorable lease terms. In addition, our scale allows us to achieve efficiency in many aspects of our operations, including property development and design, purchasing, systems development and implementation, recruiting and training.

Innovative, Distinctive and Consistent Product. We constantly evaluate the needs and preferences of our targeted customers and our cost structure in an effort to provide a product that caters to our customers’ needs and

 

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preferences while maintaining our profitability. While we offer a standardized product in all of our hotels to maintain the uniformity of our hotel chain, we have developed innovative and unique product features, consisting of the design, appearance, color scheme, decoration, lighting and amenities of Home Inns hotels. We believe this makes our hotels attractive to customers and differentiates us from our competitors. One of the most important goals of our operations is to provide consistent, high-quality service to customers across our hotel chain to enable them to enjoy the comforts of home while staying at different Home Inns hotels. To achieve this goal, we have created a comprehensive set of procedural manuals relating to all aspects of our hotel operations to guide our employees to follow the same standards, thereby ensuring the same high quality of services across our Home Inns chain. Our focus in these areas since our inception has allowed us to establish and maintain our Home Inns hotel chain as a leading economy hotel chain in China offering competitive pricing and consistent cleanness, convenience, comfort to value-conscious individual business and leisure travelers. As a result, our hotels consistently enjoy high occupancy rates, which were 86.8%, 89.8% and 92.8% in 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.

Outstanding Track Record. Since we commenced operations in 2002, we have developed a track record of expanding our business operations primarily through organic growth while maintaining a consistent and high-quality product and achieving strong financial performance. Our Home Inns hotels in operation grew rapidly from five hotels as of the end of 2002 to 134 hotels as of December 31, 2006, and the geographic coverage of our Home Inns hotels in operation increased from two cities as of the end of 2002 to 39 cities as of December 31, 2006. We have achieved and maintained profitability since 2003, even as we rapidly expanded our business operations and continued to upgrade our product. In addition, we have successfully maintained and enhanced our brand and image, as evidenced by numerous recognitions and awards received by us, including the “2006 Leading Brand in Economy Hotels in China” from the China Hotel Association and the “Golden Pillow Award” for best brand in economy hotels in China in 2006 from the 21st Century Business Herald, a nationwide economic journal in China.

Efficient and Integrated Operational Infrastructure and Information Systems. To ensure that all of our hotels perform optimally, we have established an effective performance evaluation system based on a comprehensive set of clearly defined key performance indicators that are aligned with a corresponding compensation structure. In addition, we have adopted a company-wide best-practice proprietary information system developed in-house by our seasoned information technology team which has extensive operating knowledge of the hotel industry and is closely integrated with our business operations. Our management reporting system allows us to monitor each hotel’s performance and other aspects of our operations on a timely basis. By having current information readily available, we are able to better refine our resource allocation, respond to changes in each geographic market, adjust operational details, and set budgetary targets. Our centralized reservation system allows customers to book hotel rooms utilizing toll-free phone access to our centralized reservation center or through the Internet at any time. Our customer relationship management system tracks the consumption patterns and accumulated and redeemed points of members of our Home Inns membership reward program, allowing us to analyze customer data on a timely and company-wide basis and further improve our customer service accordingly. Our property management system synchronizes each hotel’s room inventory with our reservation system, giving our reservation agents the capability to sell last rooms at every hotel.

Experienced Management Team and Motivated Staff. Our management team has extensive experience in the hospitality and other consumer product and service industries and a proven track record of identifying, developing, operating and managing hotel properties successfully. In addition, we have successfully recruited, trained and retained a team of skilled, committed and motivated managerial and other employees at each of our hotels. We believe our performance-linked compensation structure, career-oriented training and career advancement opportunities are the key drivers that motivate our employees. We provide capable and experienced employees with opportunities to be promoted to management positions. As a result, many of our hotels are managed by qualified employees who have achieved their current positions through internal promotion. Through our training facility, Home Inns Academy, we have implemented extensive training programs and conducted

 

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periodic tests to ensure our employees are equipped with up-to-date knowledge of various aspects of our hotel operations and our demand for high-quality services. We have experienced a low attrition rate among our managerial staff since our inception. We believe our employees are motivated and well-trained to deliver high-quality services to our customers. This has significantly contributed to our successful track record and loyal customer base.

Our Strategy

Our goal is to become the leading economy hotel chain in China. We intend to leverage our competitive strengths to replicate our business model consistently in both existing and new markets in China. We also intend to sustain our growth by developing additional Home Inns hotels under both the leased-and-operated and the franchised-and-managed business models to maintain or achieve a dominant position in markets that we decide to enter or expand. Our primary growth strategies include:

Expand Geographical Coverage to Capitalize on Early-Mover Advantage. Home Inns currently has one of the broadest geographical coverage in China among major domestic and international hotel chains, with 145 hotels in operation and an additional 48 hotels under development covering 53 cities as of March 31, 2007. We believe by capitalizing on our early-mover advantage when entering and developing a given geographical market, we can capture a significant market share ahead of our competitors. Our target markets include major metropolitan areas, regional centers demonstrating strong economic growth, and select resort/tourism destinations. We have based and intend to continue to base our expansion program to enter into new markets, focusing on provincial capitals and cities that have strong GDP growth, a high population concentration or both. We have identified over 100 such cities that we intend to focus more on going forward. We intend to continue broadening our geographical coverage and to be a leading player in these markets.

Increase Penetration in Existing Markets. We intend to continue growing organically and increase our penetration in the existing cities in which we operate by selectively establishing more Home Inns hotels, focusing on locating our hotels near ground transportation hubs, business centers, shopping centers, industrial development zones, colleges and universities, and large residential neighborhoods. We believe many of our existing markets are still under-served by hotels catering to individual business and leisure travelers who demand value as well as consistent high-quality service. Given the extensive awareness of, and loyalty to, our Home Inn brand, our growing Home Inns membership network, and our strong local market experience and expertise, we believe that we are well positioned to capture a larger market share in our existing markets.

Continue to Build Brand Awareness and Customer Loyalty. As a leader in the emerging economy hotel chain sector, Home Inns has already achieved significant brand recognition among our existing and target customers. Since word-of-mouth referrals have been, and will continue to be, a key factor in building awareness of our brand, we intend to continue enhancing the Home Inn brand by maintaining the consistency of the high quality products and services that we provide. We continually seek innovative ideas to achieve the best home-away-from-home experience for our customers. We have engaged outside design firms to review our current product and identify potential improvements. In order to continue improving the quality of our services and to meet our customers’ changing demands, we intend to proactively seek customer feedback through a variety of methods, including frequent interactions between our hotel managers and our customers. We also intend to continue improving our Home Inns membership reward program to attract and retain repeat customers and expand our membership network. In addition, we intend to leverage the experience of our dedicated marketing team to further enhance our brand through a variety of initiatives, including increased advertising and launching chain-wide and regional promotional programs and events.

Increase RevPAR by Optimizing Customer Channel Mix and Maximizing Room Rate Growth. We believe our leadership allows us to benefit from industry-wide growth. We intend to further increase RevPAR by optimizing customer channel mix. We receive room reservations from our customers through multiple channels,

 

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including our central reservation system, or CRS, our Home Inns membership network, walk-ins, corporate accounts, and travel agencies and consolidators.

Different customer channels require different pricing strategies. Our proprietary information systems track information regarding the customer channel mix at the hotel- and company-level, thereby providing our hotel managers the information necessary to analyze and optimize the mixture of customer channels and pricing strategies through various sales and marketing programs to maximize our hotels’ occupancy and RevPAR. We intend to continue to improve and leverage our information and operational systems to increase RevPAR.

In addition, in markets where demand for hotel rooms exceeds supply, we intend to incrementally increase room rates as we believe any such room rate increases will have a minimal effect on our occupancy rates due to our superior products and services, customer loyalty and brand recognition. We expect room rate increases to result in increased RevPAR and enhanced profitability.

Further Enhance Our Information and Operational Systems and Human Resources Management. We believe our proprietary information and operational systems have given us a significant competitive advantage, and we intend to continue to upgrade our technology and systems and develop new, innovative features and applications to support our anticipated growth and further enhance the management and operational efficiency of our hotels. We also believe the ability to train and retain our employees is important to our growth strategy. We intend to further leverage Home Inns Academy to facilitate the sharing of best practices and to develop a management talent pool with sufficient capacity to meet the demands presented by our rapid growth. In addition, we will continue to refine our performance evaluation system, compensation schemes and career development initiatives for our employees. By closely and systematically monitoring our employees’ performance and aligning their interests with those of management and our shareholders, we believe that we can continue to attract, train and retain qualified managerial and other employees to maintain our consistent high-quality services across our hotel chain.

Pursue Strategic Acquisitions. We intend to pursue strategic acquisitions to obtain properties, assets and businesses that own properties and assets that we believe are complementary to our business and growth strategies. We may also acquire properties and assets from our existing franchisees, thereby converting existing franchised-and-managed hotels into leased-and-operated hotels. When evaluating a potential acquisition, we will consider the attractiveness of the property’s location within the existing cities in which we operate or in the new geographic markets where we intend to expand. We will also consider the acquisition’s potential for meeting our internal financial return objectives over the long term. We believe that such strategic acquisitions may provide an effective means to expand our geographical coverage, increase our penetration in existing markets, increase our revenue and further enhance our leadership position as well as our ability to provide an attractive return on investment for our investors.

 

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Our Home Inns Hotel Chain

We are dedicated to providing a consistent and high-quality product to our customers, allowing them to enjoy the comforts of home while staying at any Home Inns hotel. Our Home Inns hotel chain is a leading economy hotel chain in China offering cleanness, convenience, comfort and value to individual business and leisure travelers.

As of March 31, 2007, our Home Inns hotel chain consisted of 145 hotels in operation and an additional 48 hotels under development, covering 53 cities in China. The following map sets forth the geographic coverage of our hotel chain as of March 31, 2007.

LOGO

Our Home Inns hotel chain covers most major metropolitan areas in China. We intend to further penetrate the existing metropolitan markets where we have a presence and also expand into additional cities in China with a population of over four million, annual GDP of over RMB 80 billion (US$10.0 billion), or both. We believe cities meeting these criteria generally have the potential for sustainable economic growth and increasing demand for hotel accommodation services.

A typical Home Inns hotel has 80 to 150 guest rooms. Each hotel has a standardized design, appearance, decor, color scheme, lighting scheme and set of guest amenities in each room, including a bedding package featuring mattresses meeting the standards of four-star hotels in China, free in-room broadband Internet access, a comfortable work space, air-conditioning and a supply of cold and hot drinking water. Home Inns hotels are strategically located to provide our guests with convenient access to major business districts, ground transportation hubs, major highways, shopping centers, industrial development zones, colleges and universities, and/or large residential neighborhoods.

 

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The following table sets forth a complete listing of all of our hotels as of March 31, 2007.

 

     Hotels in Operation    Hotels Contracted

City

   Leased-and
Operated Hotels
   Franchised-
and-
Managed Hotels
   Leased-and
Operated Hotels
   Franchised-
and-
Managed Hotels

Beijing

   11    17    1    5

Shanghai

   15    8       1

Suzhou

   4    4    1    1

Hangzhou

   2    5      

Fuzhou

   2       1   

Wuxi

   3         

Tianjin

   7    5    2    2

Xiamen

   1       1    1

Ningbo

   1    1      

Shenzhen

   3         

Guangzhou

   3    1      

Wuhan

   3       2   

Chongqing

   1         

Chengdu

   3         

Shenyang

   2    1    2   

Dalian

   2         

Nanjing

   5    2    1   

Hefei

   1       1   

Zhengzhou

   2    1    2   

Qingdao

   4       1   

Xi'an

   1       2    1

Harbin

   1         

Shijiazhuang

   2    1    1   

Changchun

      1    2   

Nanning

         2   

Nanchang

         1   

Huhehaote

         1   

Jinan

   1       2   

Taiyuan

         1   

Changzhou

   3         

Nantong

   1         

Shaoxing

   1         

Jiangyin

   1         

Zhuhai

   1         

Yangzhou

   1         

Zhongshan

   1         

Zibo

   1       1   

Luoyang

   1         

Foshan

         1   

Yantai

   1         

Weifang

   1       1   

Weihai

   1         

Baoding

         1   

Jilin

   1         

Baotou

   1         

Bengbu

   1         

Zhangjiajie

      1      

Dezhou

         1   

Changshu

            1

Xuzhou

         1   

Guiyang

         1   

Changsha

         1   

Guilin

         1   
                   

Total

   97    48    36    12
                   

(1) Contracted hotels include hotels which have not commenced operations but for which we have entered into binding leases or franchise agreements with the respective lessors or franchisees.

 

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Leased-and-operated Hotels. For our leased-and-operated hotels, we lease properties from real estate owners or lessors and we are responsible for hotel development and customization to conform to the standards of Home Inns, as well as repairs and maintenance and operating expenses of properties over the term of the lease. We are also responsible for all aspects of hotel operations and management, including hiring, training and supervising the managers and employees required to operate our hotels and purchasing supplies. We typically pay fixed rent on a quarterly basis for the first three or five years of the lease term, after which we may be subject to a 3% to 5% increase every three to five years. We generally have a right of first refusal to extend the lease after the initial term expires. The annual rent for each of our leased-and-operated hotels ranges from RMB 0.6 million (US$0.08 million) to RMB 5.2 million (US$0.7 million), depending on the location, size and condition of each hotel property. The terms of our leases range from eight to 20 years, most of which are 15 years. In general, upon expiration of these leases, we may dispose of the removable facilities, equipment and appliances installed by us while leasehold improvements and fixtures may be kept by the lessor on the premises. In the case of early termination of a lease due to the lessor’s default, we are generally entitled to take all removable items installed by us and may also be compensated for the amount we spent in connection with the leasehold improvements. In the case of early termination of a lease due to our default, we are generally entitled to take all removable items installed by us and the lessor is entitled to the leasehold improvements which result from our investments.

Franchised-and-managed Hotels. For our franchised-and-managed hotels, we franchise our Home Inn brand to franchisees who are property owners, lessors or existing hotel operators, and we are generally responsible for managing these hotels, typically including the hiring and appointing of the general managers of these hotels. Under a typical franchise agreement between us and a franchisee, the franchisee is generally required to pay us an initial franchise fee of RMB 0.2 million (US$0.03 million) to RMB 0.3 million (US$0.04 million), annual franchise fees of 3% of the revenues of the hotel, as well as an annual management fee of 3% of the revenues of the hotel. The franchisee is responsible for the costs of hotel development and customization to conform to the standards of Home Inns, as well as for repairs and maintenance and operating expenses of the hotel. In general, we enter into franchise arrangements in markets where we have established leased-and-operated hotels and are able to leverage our local knowledge and experience as well as marketing and administrative resources to better assist our franchised-and-managed hotels in these localities. The typical term for our franchise agreements is five years.

The following table sets forth the number of our hotels in operation as of March 31, 2007.

 

     Total
Number
of Hotels
   Number of
Hotels Opened
for Over Six
Months
   Number of
Hotels Opened
for No More
Than Six Months
   Average
Number of
Rooms per Hotel
   Typical
Lease/Franchise
Term

Leased-and-operated Hotels

   97    78    19    121    15 years

Franchised-and-managed Hotels

   48    29    19    118    5 years

We also operate four leased-and-operated hotels through separate joint ventures with third parties. Home Inns Shanghai owns 75% of one joint venture and 51% of each of the other three joint ventures.

 

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We set the room rates of our hotels based on local market conditions with reference to room rates set by our competitors. As we primarily target individual business and leisure travelers, January or February, the month during which the Chinese New Year falls, generally accounts for a lower portion of our annual revenues than other months. The following table presents certain selected operating data as of and for the dates and periods indicated. We present operating data for 2004 as if we had consolidated Home Inns Beijing throughout the year. Our results of operations have been and will continue to be significantly affected by changes in these operating measures which are widely used in the hospitality industry.

 

     As of and for the Year
Ended December 31,
     2004    2005    2006

Operating Data:

        

Total hotels in operation(1):

        

Leased-and-operated hotels(2)

   18    54    94

Franchised-and-managed hotels

   8    14    40

Total rooms(1)

   2,991    8,197    16,162

Geographic coverage(1):

        

Number of cities

   8    22    39

Occupancy rate (as a percentage)

   86.8    89.8    92.8

Average daily rate (in RMB)

   191    182    182

RevPAR (in RMB)

   166    163    169

(1) As of the end of each period.
(2) Includes four hotels operated through separate joint ventures with third parties.

Hotel Development

We follow a structured and systematic development and construction process with respect to new hotel properties. Our multi-step development process starts with planning and site identification. We have staff based in our head office in Shanghai focusing on identifying potential new markets and performing a comprehensive study of each new market by conducting site visits and gathering background information such as the regional economic conditions and availability of existing hotel accommodation services in the prospective new market. After the development team at our head office decides to pursue opportunities in a new market, we assign our regional development staff and the city general manager in each region to select ideal hotel locations in the chosen market. Once a site has been selected, we negotiate with the property owner while concurrently conducting due diligence investigations with respect to a number of major legal and regulatory aspects, including the owner’s land title and relevant zoning regulations. For our leased-and-operated hotels, we lease properties from real estate owners or lessors and we convert the properties into standardized Home Inns hotels. Our lease term negotiations are guided by a comprehensive set of criteria, including certain financial return requirements. All new hotel leases are subject to the final approval of four designated directors of Home Inns Beijing, including our chief executive officer, David Jian Sun. As a leading branded economy hotel chain in China, we are generally able to establish credibility with property owners and secure desirable properties on reasonable terms. We commence constructing a standardized Home Inns hotel after definitive agreements with the owner have been executed. A majority of the construction materials and supplies for the new hotel are purchased through our centralized procurement system. For our franchised-and-managed hotels, we assist franchisees in refurbishing, renovating or constructing their properties after they join our branded hotel chain, and in meeting our brand specifications by providing technical expertise and cost-savings suggestions. Before completion of construction, we carry out a series of pre-opening activities, such as identifying and appointing the general manager and other members of the hotel management team, and hiring and training hotel staff in anticipation of the hotel opening. It typically takes four to six months from execution of a lease or franchise agreement to hotel opening.

We have incurred capital expenditures primarily in connection with leasehold improvements and investments in furniture, fixtures and equipment, technology and information and operational systems. Our

 

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capital expenditures totaled RMB 61.7 million, RMB 193.2 million and RMB 237.9 million (US$30.5 million) in 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. We will continue to make capital expenditures to meet the expected growth of our operations. We expect to meet our capital expenditure needs in the foreseeable future with cash generated from our operating activities and financing activities. We have not had any material divestiture during the past three years.

We seek to lease or franchise properties that meet the following market- and hotel-specific criteria:

General Market Criteria

Economic Growth. We focus on cities that are approaching, or have already entered into, periods of significant economic growth. Such cities generally show growth in certain business activities as measured by employment opportunities, population growth rates, tourism and convention activities, air traffic volume, local commercial real estate occupancy, and retail sales volume. Markets that exhibit growth in these metrics typically have strong demand for hotel facilities and services. We have identified over 100 such cities in China, including cities each with a population of over four million, annual GDP of over RMB 80 billion (US$10.0 billion) or both, and provincial capitals. We intend to focus more on these cities going forward.

Geographic Diversification. We seek to maintain a geographically diverse portfolio of hotels to offset the effects of regional economic cycles. We will continue to expand into new urban business centers as opportunities arise that meet our investment criteria.

Favorable Development Environment. We seek lodging markets with favorable hotel development environment, including an absence of or minimal zoning constraints, an absence of lengthy local development approval and registration processes, as well as the availability of suitable sites and construction contractors.

Specific Hotel Criteria

Location and Market Appeal. We seek to invest in hotels situated near both business and leisure centers that tend to generate a broad base of demand for hotel accommodations and facilities. These demand drivers include transportation hubs, convention centers, business parks, shopping centers and other retail areas, major highways, tourist destinations, major universities and cultural and entertainment centers. The confluence of nearby business and leisure centers will enable us to attract both weekday business travelers and weekend leisure guests.

Size and Facilities. We seek to develop and operate economy hotels with 80 to 150 guest rooms, which include amenities that are attractive to key demand segments such as individual business and leisure travelers. We believe operating economy hotels with 80 to 150 rooms allows us to best leverage our competitive strengths and maximize our profitability.

Financial Return Requirements. We require our development team, marketing team and city general managers to assess the potential financial return of every proposed new hotel. We will only develop hotels that exhibit a potential for meeting our internal financial return objectives both in the near term and over the term of the lease agreement.

Hotel Management

We believe that skilled management is a critical element in maximizing revenues and profitability of our hotel operations. A majority of our senior hotel management team has extensive experience in the hospitality and other consumer-services industries. Personnel at our corporate office perform strategic planning, finance, project development, sales and marketing, training and other functions and guide, support and monitor our on-site hotel operations and executives. Each of our departments, including hotel operations, sales and marketing, human resources, training, information technology, development, legal, and accounting and finance, is staffed by an

 

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experienced team with significant expertise in their respective area. These departments support each hotel and its management in day-to-day activities by providing operating statistics, accounting and budgeting services, sales and revenue management, marketing and promotion support, cost controls, property management tools and other resources that we develop, maintain and deliver efficiently and effectively using our centralized corporate office resources. Key elements of our centralized hotel management programs include the following:

Budgeting and Monitoring. Our corporate office personnel work with the general manager of each hotel to set a detailed annual budget for revenues and cost categories of the hotel. The annual budget is based on historical operating performance of the hotel, planned targeted marketing, planned renovations, operational efficiencies and local market conditions. Through the use of our online property management and management reporting systems, we are able to track each hotel’s daily occupancy, average daily rates, RevPAR and other operating data. As a result, we can effectively and timely monitor the actual performance of each hotel. By having current hotel operating information available on a timely basis, we can adjust sales efforts and other resources in time to take advantage of changes in the market and to maximize our profitability.

Quality Assurance and Training. We are dedicated to providing value and consistent quality standards to our customers. We have established quality standards for all aspects of our hotel operations that cover, among other areas, housekeeping, hotel maintenance and renovation, and service offering. To ensure compliance with our quality standards, we have developed a comprehensive set of procedural manuals relating to all aspects of our hotel operations to ensure that our employees follow the same standards. We have implemented comprehensive training programs to ensure the effectiveness and uniformity of our employee training through our centralized human resources department at our corporate office as well as through our dedicated training facility, Home Inns Academy.

The compliance of our hotels with quality standards is monitored through both scheduled and unannounced visits and reviews conducted periodically at each hotel. We require most of our employees to take periodic tests in order to monitor compliance with our quality standards. In addition, our practice of tracking customer comments through guest comment cards, and the direct solicitation of guest opinions regarding specific items, allows us to improve services and amenities at each hotel across our hotel chain.

Strategic Capital Improvements. To maintain our competitiveness and enhance our hotels’ appeal to targeted market segments, we require each of our hotels to allocate a fixed percentage of its revenue for periodic renovation and replacement of furnishings and equipment to maintain the quality and standards of our facilities. We base recommendations on capital spending decisions on customer feedback, strategic needs, and our targeted financial return on a given capital investment.

Centralized Procurement. We have implemented a centralized procurement system to allow us to obtain the best pricing available for the quality of goods sourced to our hotels in order to minimize the operating expenses of our hotels. As a leading branded economy hotel chain in China with nationwide scale, we are able to exert leverage over our suppliers of commodity goods and services.

Targeted Sales. We support each hotel’s local sales efforts with corporate office sales executives who develop and implement new marketing programs, and monitor and respond to specific market needs and preferences. We use a property management system, or PMS, to manage each property’s use of the various distribution channels in the lodging industry. Those channels include our central reservation system and toll-free numbers, third-party travel agents and other travel intermediaries, corporate travel offices and office managers. Based on market conditions, we adjust the number of rooms allocated to each of our sales channels on a daily basis in order to optimize our profitability.

 

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Hotel Information and Operational Systems

The principal objectives of our hotel operations are to generate higher RevPAR, control costs and increase the net operating income of our hotels, while providing our customers with high-quality services and value. Our integrated proprietary information and operational systems are designed to distinguish us in the marketplace, operate efficiently and cost-effectively and accommodate future growth. Our investment in our sophisticated system infrastructure has several key benefits: better customer service, simplification of the storage and processing of large amounts of data, facilitation of the large-scale operation and automation of the administration of our business and generating financial and operational information for each hotel to assist our corporate management in adjusting business strategies on a timely basis.

Our key hotel information and operational systems include the following:

Property Management System (PMS). Our proprietary PMS system is designed to help our hotels maximize profitability and compete more effectively by managing their room inventory, rates and reservations. The PMS system synchronizes each hotel’s room inventory with our reservation system, giving our reservation agents the capability to sell last rooms at our hotels. The PMS system also includes a revenue management feature that calculates and suggests optimum rates based on each hotel’s past performance and projected occupancy. These tools enhance our ability to effectively manage our hotel operations and maximize RevPAR.

Central Reservation System (CRS). Approximately 17% of our total hotel room nights are booked through our proprietary CRS system, which primarily consists of our toll-free telephone reservation system. As of December 31, 2006, we employed 37 reservation agents to serve customers who make hotel reservations by phone. Our trained reservation agents can match each caller with a Home Inns hotel that meets the caller’s needs. Our CRS provides a data link to all of our hotels so that confirmations are transmitted automatically to the hotel for which the reservations are made.

Customer Relationship Management System (CRM). Our proprietary CRM system tracks the consumption patterns and accumulated and redeemed points of the active members of our Home Inns membership rewards program. This information enables us to analyze customer data on a company-wide basis as well as to develop a more specific and targeted marketing strategy.

Management Reporting System. We have designed a proprietary web-based management reporting system at each of our hotels and at our corporate office to monitor the daily financial and operating performance of each of our hotels. This system allows us to track each hotel’s daily occupancy, average daily rates, RevPAR and other operating and financial data.

One of our ongoing primary objectives is to maintain reliable information, management and operational systems. We have implemented performance monitoring for all key systems to enable us to respond quickly to potential problems. Our computers and servers are hosted at a facility in Shanghai. This facility provides redundant utility systems, a backup electric generator and 24-hour server support. All servers have uninterrupted power supplies and redundant file systems to maximize system and data availability. We regularly back up our data to minimize the impact of data loss due to system failure.

Sales and Marketing

Our core targeted customers consist of value-oriented individual SME business travelers and leisure travelers seeking comfortable and convenient lodging at an affordable price. We review our hotel pricing twice a year and typically adjust room rates annually based on the local market conditions of the city and the specific location of each hotel. Our head office team and our city and hotel managers jointly develop tailored marketing plans to drive sales for each hotel and in each city. We use management and operational systems to manage each hotel’s use of the various distribution channels in the lodging industry. Those channels include our centralized

 

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reservation system and toll-free numbers, third-party travel agents and other travel intermediaries and corporate travel offices. Our access to these channels allows us to further enhance occupancy rates of our hotels on a day-to-day basis.

The following table presents the percentage of room nights stayed in 2006 by customer channel:

 

Customer Channel

   Percentage of Total
Room Nights Stayed in 2006

CRS bookings by members of our Home Inns membership network

   14.9

CRS bookings by non-members of our Home Inns membership network

   2.3

Reservations not booked through CRS by members of our Home Inns membership network

   28.7

Walk-ins

   18.3

Corporate accounts

   16.2

Travel agencies and consolidators

   8.2

Others

   11.4
    

Total

   100.0

Our centralized reservation center is located in Shanghai, China and is operated daily from 9:00 A.M. to 9:30 P.M., seven days a week. Customers can call our nationwide toll free number to consult with our reservation agents, receive real-time hotel information and make hotel bookings. As of December 31, 2006, we employed 37 reservation agents, all of whom participated in a formal training program before commencing work. We believe we have sufficient capacity to meet the currently anticipated increases in call volume. Nevertheless, if we exceed this capacity, we believe we can add, within a reasonable time and at a reasonable cost, additional phone lines, computer systems and reservation agents to handle increasing call volumes without the need to undertake system redesign to our existing systems.

Our corporate marketing and advertising programs are designed to enhance consumer awareness and preference for the Home Inn brand as offering the greatest value, convenience and comfort in the economy hotel segment of the Chinese lodging industry, and to encourage customers’ use of our centralized reservation system. Marketing and advertising efforts include outdoor advertisements, distribution of flyers and other marketing materials on our hotel properties, television, internet and radio advertising, print advertising in consumer media and promotional events, special holiday promotions and joint promotional activities.

Since 2004, we have operated a Home Inns membership reward program to attract travelers by rewarding frequent stays with points towards free hotel stays, discounts on room rates, priority in hotel reservations and other rewards. As of December 31, 2006, our membership reward program had approximately 200,000 active members as compared to approximately 58,000, 105,000 and 130,000 active members as of June 30, 2005, December 31, 2005 and June 30, 2006, respectively. This program allows us to build customer loyalty as well as conduct lower cost, more targeted marketing campaigns.

Employees and Training

We believe that developing and maintaining a team of capable and motivated managerial and other employees are critical to our success. Because our managerial and other employees manage our hotels and interact with our customers on a daily basis, they are critical to maintaining the quality and consistency of our services as well as our brand and reputation. We seek to hire managerial employees with background and experience in hotel and other consumer services industries with a customer-first mentality. We aim to recruit, train and retain the best talent through a multi-step recruiting and training process while offering competitive performance-linked compensation packages and career advancement opportunities.

 

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We have implemented extensive training programs and periodic tests for managerial and other hotel-based staff primarily through our training facility, “Home Inns Academy.” New general managers of our hotels and executive assistants to general managers are required to undergo a two-month training period, during which they receive training in managing all core aspects of our hotel operations, as well as our company culture and philosophy. We also require our hotel general managers and city managers to participate in annual training programs so that they can stay abreast of changes in our hotel operations and consumer preferences and demands. In addition, all employees of a new hotel are required to undergo an approximately 25-day job training prior to commencing their duties. We also have trained on-site managers in many of our hotels to provide continuous training to our hotel staff. In addition to training, we have implemented periodic tests to assess the relevant knowledge and skills of our managerial and other employees.

To ensure that all of our hotels have optimal and satisfactory performance, we have established an effective and clearly-defined performance evaluation system based on a comprehensive set of key performance indicators that are aligned with a corresponding compensation structure. In addition, we provide capable and experienced hotel staff with opportunities to be promoted to management positions. We believe our performance-linked compensation structure, career-oriented training and career advancement opportunities are the key drivers that motivate our employees. As a result, we have experienced a very low attrition rate among our managerial staff since our inception. We were included in the Corporate Research Foundation’s list of “2007 China Top Employers.”

We had 1,183, 2,792 and 6,291 employees as of December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. As of December 31, 2006, our employees consisted of 5,898 hotel-based employees (including 1,698 employees at our franchised hotels), 37 reservation agents at our centralized reservation center, and 356 corporate staff. None of our employees is represented by a labor union. We consider our relations with our employees to be good.

Competition

The lodging industry in China is highly fragmented and competitive, and we expect competition to persist and intensify. Hotels in China are not required to, but may, apply for star ratings as approved by tourism bureaus of local governments or the National Tourist Administration based on the star rating regulations in China. This standard defines five distinct star ratings, i.e., 1-Star, 2-Star, 3-Star, 4-Star and 5-Star, including Platinum 5-star. In order to obtain a particular star rating, a hotel must meet certain defined standards for the availability and quality of hotel facilities and public area, availability and quality of amenities in guest rooms, food and beverage facility, scope of guest services, and scope and quality of management infrastructure, etc. We have not applied for star ratings because we do not consider obtaining a star rating as necessary and our business has not been affected as we focus on meeting individual business and leisure travelers’ basic accommodation needs with affordable pricing, a comfortable lodging experience, high-quality services and standardized hotel rooms and amenities across our hotel chain.

We compete with other hotels for guests in each of the markets in which we operate. Competition in the industry is primarily based on room rates, quality of accommodations, brand name recognition, convenience of location, geographic coverage, service quality, range of services, and guest amenities. We compete primarily with other economy hotel chains, such as Jinjiang Star, Motel 168, Super 8 and Ibis, as well as various regional and local economy hotel chains. We also compete with two- and three-star hotels, as we offer rooms with standards comparable to many of those hotels and many of the amenities available at those hotels while maintaining competitive pricing and high-quality services tailored to individual business and leisure travelers. In addition, we may also face competition from new players in the economy hotel segment in China. As compared to four- or five-star hotels, developing an economy hotel requires a smaller commitment of capital and human resources. This relatively lower barrier of entry permits new competitors to enter our markets quickly and compete with our business. Furthermore, we may face competition from all other hotels for guests in each of our markets, as our typical business and leisure traveler customers may change their travel and spending patterns and choose to stay in hotels in different segments.

 

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Intellectual Property

Our brand, trade names, trademarks, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights distinguish and protect our technology platforms, services and products from those of our competitors, and contribute to our competitive advantage in the economy hotel segment of the lodging industry in China. To protect our brand and other intellectual property, we rely on a combination of trademark, trade secret and copyright laws as well as imposing confidentiality obligations on our employees, contractors and others. We have a total of ten registered trademarks in China, including “ LOGO”, and are applying for registration of eight new trademarks in China. We have registered our domain name www.homeinns.com with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

We cannot assure you that our efforts to protect our intellectual property rights will be adequate or that third parties will not infringe or misappropriate these rights. If others are able to copy and use our proprietary information and operational system and other proprietary technology platform without spending time and resources to develop their own, we may not be able to maintain our competitive position. Furthermore, the application of laws governing intellectual property rights in China is uncertain and evolving and could involve substantial risks to us. If litigation is necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights or determine the scope of the proprietary rights of others, we may have to incur substantial costs or divert other resources, which could harm our business and prospects.

Insurance

We believe that our hotels are covered by adequate property and liability insurance policies with coverage features and insured limits that we believe are customary for similar companies in China. We carry property insurance that covers the assets that we own at our hotels, but not the buildings or any other assets owned by our lessors. Although we require our lessors to purchase customary insurance policies, we cannot guarantee that they will adhere to such requirements. If we were held liable for amounts and claims exceeding the limits of our insurance coverage or outside the scope of our insurance coverage, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected.

Facilities

Our headquarters are located in Shanghai, China, where we lease approximately 700 square meters of office space. As of December 31, 2006, we leased 94 out of our 134 hotel facilities with an aggregate size of 597,994 square meters. For detailed information about the locations of our hotels, see “—Our Home Inns Hotel Chain.”

Legal Proceedings

We are subject to legal proceedings, investigations and claims incidental to the conduct of our business from time to time. We are not currently a party to, nor are we aware of, any legal proceeding, investigation or claim which, in the opinion of our management, is likely to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

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REGULATION

The hotel industry in China is subject to a number of laws and regulations, including laws and regulations relating specifically to hotel operation and management and commercial franchising, as well as those relating to environmental and consumer protection. The principal regulation governing foreign ownership of hotel businesses in the PRC is the Foreign Investment Industrial Guidance Catalogue, which became effective as of January 1, 2005. Under the regulation, the hotel industry belongs to the category of permitted foreign investment industry and there is no restriction on foreign investment in hotel businesses in China, other than regular business license and other permits that must be possessed by every lodging business in China. There are no regulatory ceilings on room rates in China. The market-based pricing is permissible for the hotel industry and room rates may be determined at the sole discretion of hotel management. Relative to other industries in China, regulation of the hotel industry in China is still developing and evolving. As a result, most legislative action has consisted of general measures such as industry standards, rules or circulars issued by different ministries rather than detailed legislation. Many of these standards, rules and circulars date from the late 1990’s, and it is expected that they may be amended, revised or expanded in the coming years as the hotel industry in China matures. This section summarizes the principal PRC regulations currently relevant to our business and operations.

Regulations on Hotel Operation

In November 1987, the Ministry of Public Security issued the Measures for the Control of Security in the Hotel Industry, and in June 2004, the State Council promulgated Decision of the State Council on Establishing Administrative License for the Administrative Examination and Approval Items Really Necessary To Be Retained. Under these two regulations, anyone who applies to operate a hotel is subject to examination and approval by the local public security authority and must obtain a Special Industry License. The Measures for the Control of Security in the Hotel Industry impose certain security control obligations on the operators. For example, the hotel must examine the identification card of any guest to whom accommodation is provided and make an accurate registration. The hotel must also report to the local public security authority if it discovers anyone violating the law, behaving suspiciously or an offender wanted by the public security authority.

In April 1987, the State Council promulgated the Public Area Hygiene Administration Regulations, according to which, a hotel must obtain a public area hygiene license before opening for business. In October 1995, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, or the SCNPC, enacted the PRC Law on Food Hygiene, according to which any hotel that provides food must obtain a food hygiene license. In April 1998, SCNPC enacted the Fire Prevention Law. The Fire Prevention Law requires that public gathering places such as hotels pass a fire prevention safety inspection by the local public security fire-fighting department prior to opening for business. In January 2006, the State Council promulgated the Regulations for Administration of Entertainment Places, In March 2006, the Ministry of Culture issued the Circular on Carrying out the Regulations for Administration of Entertainment Places, under these regulations, hotels that provide entertainment facilities, such as discos or ballrooms, are required to obtain a license for entertainment business operations. The above regulations also set forth obligations concerning public security, hygiene, fire prevention, and other standards relating to the operation of public facilities. The relevant administrative authorities may impose penalties and even shut down hotels that violate the provisions.

In 2003, the National Tourist Administration, or the NTA, promulgated the Regulations on the Assessment of the Star Rating 0f Tourist Hotels, or the Star Rating Regulations. Under the Star Rating Regulations, all hotels with operations of over one year are eligible to apply for a star rating assessment. There are five ratings from one star to five stars for tourist hotels, assessed based on the level of facilities, management standards and quality of service. A star rating, once granted, is valid for five years.

 

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Regulations on Consumer Protection

In October 1993, the SCNPC promulgated the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Consumers, or the Consumer Protection Law. Under the Consumer Protection Law, a business operator providing a commodity or service to a consumer is subject to a number of requirements, including the following:

 

  (1) to ensure that commodities and services meet with certain safety requirements;

 

  (2) to disclose serious defects of a commodity or a service and adopt preventive measures against damage occurrence;

 

  (3) to provide consumers with true information and to refrain from conducting false advertising;

 

  (4) not to set unreasonable or unfair terms for consumers or alleviate or release itself from civil liability for harming the legal rights and interests of consumers by means of standard contracts, circulars, announcements, shop notices or other means; and

 

  (5) not to insult or slander consumers or to search the person of, or articles carried by, a consumer or to infringe upon the personal freedom of a consumer.

Business operators may be subject to civil liabilities for failing to fulfill the obligations discussed above. These liabilities include restoring the consumer’s reputation, eliminating the adverse effects suffered by the consumer, and offering an apology and compensation for any losses incurred. The following penalties may also be imposed upon business operators for the infraction of these obligations: issuance of a warning, confiscation of any illegal income, imposition of a fine, an order to cease business operation, revocation of its business license or imposition of criminal liabilities under circumstances that are specified in laws and statutory regulations.

In December 2003, the Supreme People’s Court enacted the Interpretation of Some Issues concerning the Application of Law for the Trial of Cases on Compensation for Personal Injury, which further increases the liabilities of a business operator engaged in the operation of hotels, restaurants, or entertainment facilities and subjects such operators to compensatory liability for failing to fulfill their statutory obligation to a reasonable extent or to guarantee the personal safety of others.

Regulations on Environmental Protection

In June 2002, the SCNPC issued the Law on Promoting Clean Production which regulates service enterprises such as restaurants, entertainment establishments and hotels and requires them to use technologies and equipment that conserve energy and water, serve other environmental protection purposes, and reduce or stop the use of consumer goods that waste resources or pollute the environment.

Regulations on Commercial Franchising

Franchise operations are subject to the supervision and administration of the Ministry of Commerce, or the MOC, and its regional counterparts. The MOC promulgated the Administrative Measures on Commercial Franchise Operations or Commercial Franchise Measures on December 30, 2004.

Under the Commercial Franchise Measures, a franchiser must satisfy certain requirements including having: sufficient business resources such as relevant trademarks, trade names and business models which it has been duly authorized to use; the capability to provide long-term business guidance and training services to franchisees; and ownership of at least two self-operated shops that have been in operation for at least one year within China and which were set up by itself or its subsidiaries or holding company. In January of each year, franchisers are required to file franchise contracts executed the previous year with the local commerce administrative authorities with jurisdiction over the franchiser’s locale and the franchisee’s locale.

The franchiser is also required to provide the franchisee with true and accurate basic information relating to the franchise 20 days prior to the execution of a franchise agreement, including:

 

  (1) the name, domiciles, registered capital, scope of business and term of franchise of the franchiser, basic information relating to financial statements audited by an accounting firm and tax payments;

 

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  (2) the number, location, business status and investment budget for all franchise outlets of the franchisee, and the ratio of terminated franchisees to the total number of franchisees;

 

  (3) information on the registration and license of trademarks and details of trade name, business model and other business resources, and details of any lawsuits relating to the trademarks or trade names;

 

  (4) the type, amount and method of payment of franchise fees and the method of refund of deposit;

 

  (5) information on any lawsuit in which the franchiser has been involved in the previous five years;

 

  (6) goods or services that the franchiser can provide to the franchisee and any conditions or restrictions on their provision;

 

  (7) a certification of its ability to provide training and guidance and specific details on training or guidance to be provided;

 

  (8) basic information regarding the legal representative and other primary responsible persons, and whether they have any criminal record and whether they are personally liable for the bankruptcy of any enterprise; and

 

  (9) other information and materials required to be disclosed by a franchiser upon the request of the franchisee.

Failure to disclose information in accordance with the provisions may result in the imposition of fines on the franchiser or the revocation of its business license. In addition, where a franchisee suffers any economic loss due to the provision of incomplete or false information by the franchiser, the franchiser shall be liable for compensatory damages.

The Commercial Franchising Measures also contain special provisions regarding franchising undertaken by foreign invested enterprises, or FIEs. Under the Commercial Franchising Measures, if an existing FIE wishes to operate a franchise in China it must apply to its original examination and approval authority to expand its business scope to include “engaging in commercial activities by way of franchise.” In addition, franchise contracts executed in the previous year are required to be filed with its original examination and approval authority and the commerce administrative authorities at the place where the franchisee is located.

Regulations on Trademarks

Both the PRC Trademark Law, adopted in 1982 and revised in 2001, and the Implementation Regulation of the PRC Trademark Law adopted by State Council in 2002, give protection to the holders of registered trademarks and trade names. The Trademark Office under the State Administration for Industry and Commerce handles trademark registrations and grants a term of ten years to registered trademarks. Trademark license agreement must be filed with the Trademark Office or its regional counterpart.

Regulations on Foreign Currency Exchange

Under the Foreign Currency Administration Rules promulgated in 1996 and revised in 1997 and various regulations issued by State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, and other relevant PRC government authorities, the Renminbi is convertible for current account items, such as trade related receipts and payments, interest and dividend. Capital account items, such as direct equity investments, loans and repatriation of investment, require the prior approval from SAFE or its local counterpart for conversion of Renminbi into a foreign currency, such as U.S. dollars, and remittance of the foreign currency outside the PRC.

Payments for transactions that take place within the PRC must be made in RMB. Unless otherwise approved, PRC companies must repatriate foreign currency payments received from abroad. Foreign-invested enterprises may retain foreign exchange in accounts with designated foreign exchange banks subject to a cap set by SAFE or its local counterpart. Unless otherwise approved, domestic enterprises must convert all of their foreign currency receipts into RMB.

 

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Regulations on Dividend Distribution

The principal regulations governing dividend distributions by wholly foreign owned enterprises and Sino-foreign equity joint ventures include:

 

   

the Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise Law (1986), as amended;

 

   

the Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise Law Implementing Rules (1990), as amended;

 

   

the Sino-foreign Equity Joint Venture Enterprise Law (1979), as amended; and

 

   

the Sino-foreign Equity Joint Venture Enterprise Law Implementing Rules (1983), as amended.

Under these regulations, wholly foreign owned enterprises and Sino-foreign equity joint ventures in the PRC may pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Additionally, these foreign-invested enterprises are required to set aside certain amounts of their accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends except in the event of liquidation and cannot be used for working capital purposes.

Regulation on Mergers and Acquisitions

On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, namely, the PRC Ministry of Commerce, SASAC, the State Administration for Taxation, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, the CSRC, and the SAFE, jointly adopted the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the New M&A Rule, which became effective on September 8, 2006. The New M&A Rule sets forth complex procedures and requirements, including requirements in some instances that the Ministry of Commerce be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise.

Tax

On March 16, 2007, the National People’s Congress, the Chinese legislature, passed a new tax law, which will take effect on January 1, 2008. The new law applies a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate to both foreign-invested enterprises and domestic enterprises. There will be a transition period for the enterprises, whether foreign-invested or domestic, which currently receive preferential tax treatments granted by relevant tax authorities. Enterprises that are subject to an enterprise income tax rate lower than 25% may continue to enjoy the lower rate and gradually transfer to the new tax rate within five years after the effective date of the new law. Enterprises that are currently entitled to exemptions or reductions from the standard income tax rate for a fixed term may continue to enjoy such treatment until the fixed term expires. Preferential tax treatments will continue to be granted to industries and projects that are strongly supported and encouraged by the state, and enterprises otherwise classified as “new and high technology enterprises strongly supported by the state” will be entitled to a 15% enterprise income tax rate. However, the new tax law does not define this term. The new tax law also provides that enterprises established outside of China whose “de facto management bodies” are located in China are considered “resident enterprises” and will generally be subject to the uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on their global income. The new tax law does not define the term “de facto management bodies.” Reduction or elimination of the financial subsidies or preferential tax treatments we currently enjoy or imposition of additional taxes on us or our subsidiaries in China may have a material adverse effect on our income tax expense and net income. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We have benefited from certain financial subsidies and preferential tax treatments in China. Reduction or elimination of these subsidies or preferential tax treatments may have an adverse effect on our income tax expense and net income.”

 

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MANAGEMENT

Executive Officers and Directors

The following table sets forth information regarding our executive officers and directors as of the date of this prospectus.

 

Name

   Age   

Position/Title

Yunxin Mei

   58    Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors

Neil Nanpeng Shen

   39    Co-Founder, Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors

David Jian Sun

   41    Chief Executive Officer, Director

May Wu

   39    Chief Financial Officer

Rixin Liang

   52    Chief Operating Officer

Min Bao

   46    Director

James Jianzhang Liang

   37    Co-Founder, Director

Kenneth Gaw

   36    Independent Director

Terry Yongmin Hu

   37    Independent Director

Yunxin Mei has served as our director since May 2004. Since 2000, Mr. Mei has been the vice chairman and president of BTG responsible for the overall operations and management as well as executing BTG’s mid- and long-term development plans. He also serves on the boards of several other companies, including Poly Victory Investments Limited, Viobright International Investments Ltd. and Profit Act Investment Ltd., all of which are holding companies investing in the hotel business in China.

Neil Nanpeng Shen is one of the co-founders of our company and has been our company’s director since our inception. Mr. Shen is the founding managing partner of Sequoia Capital China. Mr. Shen co-founded Ctrip, the largest travel consolidator in China, and served as its chief financial officer from 2000 to October 2005 and as president from August 2003 to October 2005. Prior to founding Ctrip, Mr. Shen had worked for more than eight years in the investment banking industry in New York and Hong Kong. He was a director at Deutsche Bank Hong Kong where he worked from 1996 to 1999. Prior to 1996, he had worked at Chemical Bank, Lehman Brothers and Citibank in various investment banking areas. Currently, Mr. Shen is a director of Ctrip and also an independent director, the chairman of the audit committee and a member of the compensation and nominating committee of Focus Media Holding Limited, a Nasdaq-listed media advertising company based in China. Mr. Shen received his bachelor’s degree from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China and his master’s degree from the School of Management at Yale University.

David Jian Sun has served as our director and chief executive officer since December 2004. Mr. Sun has over ten years of consumer industry experience. From 2003 to December 2004, Mr. Sun served as a vice president of operations for B&Q (China) Ltd., a subsidiary of Kingfisher plc, the third largest home improvement retail group in the world, overseeing the operation of 15 B&Q superstores in China. From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Sun served as a vice president of marketing for B&Q (China) Ltd., leading B&Q’s market positioning and branding efforts in China. Mr. Sun holds a bachelor’s degree from Shanghai Medical University in China.

May Wu has served as our chief financial officer since May 2006. She served as our senior vice president of finance from March 2006 to May 2006. Prior to joining Home Inns, Ms. Wu was a first vice president at Schroder Investment Management, North America Inc. from 2005 to March 2006, and a vice president from 2003 to 2004. She was responsible for investment research and management for various funds, specializing in consumer and services sectors. From 1998 to 2002, Ms. Wu was an equity research analyst at JP Morgan Asset Management where she also served as a vice president from 2000 to 2002. Ms. Wu holds a bachelor’s degree from Fudan University in China, a master’s degree from Brooklyn College at the City University of New York and an MBA degree from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

 

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Rixin Liang has served as our chief operating officer since the formation of Home Inns Beijing in April 2002. Prior to joining Home Inns, Ms. Liang was the vice president of the International Hotel Group, a subsidiary of BTG, from 1999 to 2002, during which she co-founded Jian Guo Inns, one of the earliest economy hotel brands in China, in 2000, and served as the general manager of Jian Guo Inns Beijing Ltd. from 2000 to 2002. Ms. Liang has worked in the hotel industry in China since 1972. She is a member of the Expert Committee of the China Hotel Association. Ms. Liang holds a bachelor’s degree from Capital Economics and Business University in China. She also attended the MBA program at Tsing-Hua University in China.

Min Bao has served as our director since March 2006. Mr. Bao is the general manager of BTG Hotel & Resorts Co., Ltd., where he has worked since February 2006. From 2002 to February 2006, he was the general manager of Beijing Chang Fu Gong Center Co., Ltd., a holding company that owns a hotel and residential and commercial properties. Prior to that, he served as the general manager of Beijing Xin Qiao Hotel Co., Ltd. He currently serves on the boards of several companies, including BTG Hotel & Resorts Co., Ltd., Beijing Jian Guo Hotel Co., Ltd., Beijing Peace Hotel Co., Ltd. and Yue Xiu Hotel Co., Ltd, all of which are China-based hotel companies.

James Jianzhang Liang is one of the co-founders of our company. He has served as our director since our inception. Mr. Liang co-founded Ctrip and served as its chief executive officer from 2000 to January 2006. Mr. Liang has been chairman of Ctrip’s board of directors since August 2003 and has been a director of Ctrip since its inception. Prior to founding Ctrip, Mr. Liang held a number of technical and managerial positions with Oracle Corporation from 1991 to 1999 in the United States and China, including the head of the ERP consulting division of Oracle China from 1997 to 1999. Mr. Liang received his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Georgia Institute of Technology. He also attended an undergraduate program at Fudan University in China.

Mr. Kenneth Gaw has served as our independent director since October 2006. Since 1999, Mr. Gaw has been a managing director of Pioneer Global Group Limited, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that primarily focuses on real estate and hotel investments in Hong Kong, Macau, China and South East Asia. Mr. Gaw is also a co-founder and the managing director of Gateway Capital, a real estate investment and management company. Mr. Gaw currently serves on the boards of Dusit Thani Public Company Limited, a company that owns and operates hotels in Thailand, Siam Food Products Public Company Limited, a pineapple producer listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, and Japan Opportunities Fund II, a real estate fund investing in Japan. Mr. Gaw received a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and economics from Brown University in the United States.

Mr. Terry Yongmin Hu has served as our independent director since October 2006. Mr. Hu is a managing director of Temasek Holdings (HK) Limited, an investment company that focuses on private equity investments in China. Prior to joining Temasek Holdings in May 2005, Mr. Hu was a director at Credit Suisse (HK) Limited where he was responsible for its technology, media and telecommunications investment banking efforts in China. Before joining Credit Suisse in August 2004, Mr. Hu worked for a number of years at Bear Stearns Asia Limited where he last served as a vice president of investment banking and the chief representative of its Shanghai office. Mr. Hu currently serves on the board of Hopson Development Holdings Limited, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that engages in property development business in China. Mr. Hu received a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from Fudan University in China.

Employment Agreements

We have entered into an employment agreement with each of our senior executive officers. We may terminate a senior executive officer’s employment for cause, at any time, without notice or remuneration, for certain acts of the officer, including, but not limited to, a conviction or plea of guilty to a felony, willful misconduct to our detriment or a failure to perform agreed duties. A senior executive officer may terminate his or her employment at any time without penalty if there is a material reduction in his or her authority, duties and responsibilities or if there is a material reduction in his or her annual salary before the next annual salary review.

 

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Furthermore, we may terminate employment at any time without cause upon advance written notice to the executive officer. Each senior executive officer is entitled to certain benefits upon termination without cause as is expressly required by the jurisdiction in which the executive is based. We will indemnify an executive officer for his losses based on or related to his or her acts and decisions made in the course of his or her performance of duties within the scope of his or her employment.

Each senior executive officer has agreed to hold in strict confidence any trade secrets or technical secrets of our company. Each officer also agrees to comply with all material applicable laws and regulations related to his or her responsibilities at our company as well as all material written corporate and business policies and procedures of our company.

Board of Directors

Our board of directors currently consists of seven directors. A director is not required to hold any shares in the company by way of qualification. A director may vote with respect to any contract, proposed contract or arrangement in which he is materially interested. A director may exercise all the powers of the company to borrow money, mortgage its undertaking, property and uncalled capital, and issue debentures or other securities whenever money is borrowed or as security for any obligation of the company or of any third party.

Committees of the Board of Directors

We have established two committees under the board of directors: the audit committee and the compensation committee. We currently do not plan to establish a nominating committee. The independent directors of our company will select and recommend to the board for nomination by the board such candidates as the independent directors, in the exercise of their judgment, have found to be well qualified and willing and available to serve as our directors prior to each annual meeting of our shareholders at which meeting directors are to be elected or re-elected. In addition, our board of directors has resolved that director nomination be approved by a majority of the board as well as a majority of the independent directors of the board. In compliance with Rule 4350 of the Nasdaq Stock Market, Marketplace Rules, a majority of the members of each of our board committees will be independent directors during the one-year transition period after our ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market and all of the committee members will be independent directors thereafter. We have adopted a charter for each of the board committees, which will become effective immediately upon the completion of this offering. Each committee’s members and functions are described below.

Audit Committee. Our audit committee consists of Messrs. James Jianzhang Liang, Kenneth Gaw and Terry Yongmin Hu. We have determined that Messrs. Gaw and Hu satisfy the “independence” requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 4350 of Nasdaq Stock Market, Marketplace Rules. The audit committee will oversee our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the financial statements of our company. The audit committee will be responsible for, among other things:

 

   

selecting the independent auditors and pre-approving all auditing and non-auditing services permitted to be performed by the independent auditors;

 

   

reviewing with the independent auditors any audit problems or difficulties and management’s response;

 

   

reviewing and approving all proposed related party transactions, as defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act;

 

   

discussing the annual audited financial statements with management and the independent auditors;

 

   

reviewing major issues as to the adequacy of our internal control; and

 

   

meeting separately and periodically with management and the independent auditors.

 

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Compensation Committee. Our compensation committee consists of Messrs. Neil Nanpeng Shen, Kenneth Gaw and Terry Yongmin Hu. We have determined that Messrs. Gaw and Hu satisfy the “independence” requirements of Rule 4350 of Nasdaq Stock Market, Marketplace Rules. The compensation committee assists the board in reviewing and approving the compensation structure, including all forms of compensation, relating to our directors and executive officers. Our chief executive officer may not be present at any committee meeting during which his compensation is deliberated. The compensation committee will be responsible for, among other things:

 

   

reviewing and approving the total compensation package for our three most senior executives;

 

   

reviewing and recommending to the board with respect to the compensation of our directors; and

 

   

reviewing periodically and approving any long-term incentive compensation or equity plans, programs or similar arrangements, annual bonuses, employee pension and welfare benefit plans.

Duties of Directors

Under Cayman Islands law, our directors have a duty of loyalty to act honestly in good faith with a view to our best interests. Our directors also have a duty to exercise the skill they actually possess and such care and diligence that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances. In fulfilling their duty of care to us, our directors must ensure compliance with our memorandum and articles of association. A shareholder has the right to seek damages if a duty owed by our directors is breached.

Terms of Directors and Officers

Our officers are elected by and serve at the discretion of the board of directors. Our directors are not subject to a term of office and hold office until such time as they are removed from office by special resolution or the unanimous written resolution of all shareholders. A director will be removed from office automatically if, among other things, the director (i) becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors; or (ii) dies or is found by our company to be or becomes of unsound mind.

Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, we paid an aggregate of approximately RMB 2.0 million (US$0.3 million) in cash to our senior executive officers, and we did not pay any cash compensation to our non-executive directors.

Share Incentives

Employees’ Stock Option Plan. We have adopted an Employees’ Stock Option Plan, or the Option Plan, to attract and retain the best available personnel, provide additional incentives to employees, directors and consultants, and promote the success of our business. Our board of directors has authorized the issuance of up to 4,784,226 ordinary shares upon exercise of awards granted under our Option Plan. We will not grant options or other awards under this Option Plan after the completion of this offering as we plan to grant options and/or other awards under our 2006 share incentive plan after the shareholders approve the new plan.

Plan Administration. Our board of directors, or a committee designated by our board or directors, will administer the Option Plan. The committee or the full board of directors, as appropriate, will determine the provisions and terms and conditions of each option grant.

Stock Option and Stock Purchase Right Agreements. Options and stock purchase rights granted under our Option Plan are evidenced by a stock option agreement or a stock purchase right agreement, as applicable, that sets forth the terms, conditions and limitations for each grant. In addition, the stock option agreement and the stock purchase right agreement also provide that securities granted are subject to a 180-day lock-up period

 

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following the effective date of a registration statement filed by us under the Security Act, if so requested by us or any representative of the underwriters in connection with any registration of the offering of any of our securities.

Eligibility. We may grant awards to employees, directors and consultants of our company or any of our related entities, which include our subsidiaries or any entities in which we hold a substantial ownership interest.

Acceleration of Options upon Corporate Transactions. The outstanding options will terminate and accelerate upon occurrence of a change-of-control corporate transaction where the successor entity does not assume our outstanding options under the Option Plan. In such event, each outstanding option will become fully vested and immediately exercisable, and the transfer restrictions on the awards will be released and the repurchase or forfeiture rights will terminate immediately before the date of the change-of-control transaction provided that the grantee’s continuous service with us shall not be terminated before that date.

Term of the Options. The term of each option grant shall be stated in the stock option agreement, provided that the term shall not exceed 10 years from the date of the grant.

Vesting Schedule. In general, the plan administrator determines, or the stock option agreement specifies, the vesting schedule.

Transfer Restrictions. Options to purchase our ordinary shares may not be transferred in any manner by the optionee other than by will or the laws of succession and may be exercised during the lifetime of the optionee only by the optionee.

Termination of the Option Plan. Unless terminated earlier, the Option Plan will terminate automatically in 2013. Our board of directors has the authority to amend or terminate the Option Plan subject to shareholder approval to the extent necessary to comply with applicable law. However, no such action may (i) impair the rights of any optionee unless agreed by the optionee and the Option Plan administrator or (ii) affect the Option Plan administrator’s ability to exercise the powers granted to it under our Option Plan.

2006 Share Incentive Plan. Our board of directors and shareholders adopted a 2006 share incentive plan, or the 2006 plan. The number of shares which may be issued upon exercise of awards granted under our 2006 plan equals the number of shares reserved but not issued or issuable as part of outstanding options, stock purchase rights or other awards granted under the Option Plan as of the date of completion of our initial public offering. After the completion of our initial public offering, such number of shares will be increased by that number of shares equal to 6% of our total outstanding shares (excluding shares issued upon exercise of options or otherwise pursuant to any of our share incentive plans) from time to time. Except for the foregoing, the total number of shares which may be issued under our 2006 plan will not be increased for a period of three years after the completion of our initial public offering. As of December 31, 2006, 3,894,392 shares may be issued upon exercise of awards granted under our 2006 plan.

Types of Awards. The types of awards we may grant under our 2006 plan include the following:

 

   

options to purchase our ordinary shares;

 

   

restricted shares, which represent non-transferable ordinary shares, that may be subject to forfeiture;

 

   

restricted share units, which represent the right to receive our ordinary shares at a specified date in the future, which may be subject to forfeiture;

 

   

share appreciation rights, which provide for payment to the grantee based upon increases in the price of our ordinary shares over a set base price; and

 

   

dividend equivalent rights, which represent the value of the dividends per share that we pay.

 

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Awards may be designated in the form of ADSs instead of ordinary shares. If we designate an award in the form of ADSs, the number of shares issuable under the 2006 plan will be adjusted to reflect a ratio of one ADS to two ordinary shares.

Eligibility. We may grant awards to employees, directors and consultants of our company or any of our related entities, which include our subsidiaries or any entities in which we hold a substantial ownership interest. However, we may grant options that are intended to qualify as incentive stock options, or ISOs, only to our employees and employees of our majority-owned subsidiaries.

Plan Administration. The compensation committee of our board of directors, or a committee designated by the compensation committee, will administer the 2006 plan. However, with respect to awards made to our independent directors and executive officers, the entire board of directors will administer the 2006 plan. The compensation committee or the full board of directors, as appropriate, will determine the individuals who will receive grants, the types of awards to be granted and terms and conditions of each award grant, including any vesting or forfeiture restrictions.

Award Agreement. Awards granted under our 2006 plan will be evidenced by an award agreement that will set forth the terms, conditions and limitations for each award. In addition, in the case of options, the award agreement will also specify whether the option constitutes an ISO or a non-qualifying stock option.

Acceleration of Awards upon Corporate Transactions. The outstanding awards will accelerate upon occurrence of a change-of-control corporate transaction where the successor entity does not assume our outstanding awards under the 2006 plan. In such event, each outstanding award will become fully vested and immediately exercisable, and the transfer restrictions on the awards will be released and any forfeiture provisions will terminate immediately before the date of the change-of-control transaction. If the successor entity assumes our outstanding awards and later terminates the grantee’s service without cause within 12 months of the change-of-control transaction, the outstanding awards will automatically become fully vested and exercisable.

Exercise Price and Term of Awards. In general, the plan administrator determines the exercise price of an award and sets forth the price in the award agreement. The exercise price may be fixed or variable price related to the fair market value of our ordinary shares. However, ISOs may be granted to any individual if the fair market value of the shares underlying such ISOs that are exercisable in any calendar year exceeds US$100,000 or other limitations imposed by law. Also, if we grant an ISO to an employee, who, at the time of that grant, owns shares representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of our share capital, the exercise price cannot be less than 110% of the fair market value of our ordinary shares on the date of that grant.

The term of each award will be stated in the award agreement. The term of an award shall not exceed 10 years from the date of the grant, except that five years is maximum term of an ISO granted to an employee who holds more than 10% of the voting power of our share capital.

Amendment and Termination. Our board of directors may at any time amend, suspend or terminate the 2006 plan. Amendments to the 2006 plan are subject to shareholder approval to the extent required by law, or stock exchange rules or regulations. Additionally, shareholder approval will be specifically required to increase the number of shares available for issuance under the 2006 plan or to extend the term of an option beyond ten years. Unless terminated earlier, the 2006 plan will expire and no further awards may be granted after the tenth anniversary of the shareholder approval of the 2006 plan.

 

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The following table summarizes the options granted to our directors and executive officers and other individuals as a group, without giving effect to options that were exercised or terminated.

 

Name

   Options
Awarded
  

Exercise Price

(US$/Share)

   Date of
Grant
   Date of
Expiration

Yunxin Mei

   150,000    2.72    3/17/2006    3/16/2011
   50,000    5.50    10/2/2006    10/1/2011
   30,000    17.395    4/20/2007    4/19/2012

Neil Nanpeng Shen

   100,000    0.3309    1/1/2005    12/31/2009
   150,000    2.72    3/17/2006    3/16/2011
   50,000    5.50    10/2/2006    10/1/2011
   30,000    17.395    4/20/2007    4/19/2012

David Jian Sun

   271,000    0.3309    1/1/2005    12/31/2009
   109,000    2.25    12/1/2005    11/30/2010
   70,000    2.72    3/17/2006    3/16/2011
   142,500    5.50    10/2/2006    10/1/2011
   120,000    17.395    4/20/2007    4/19/2012

May Wu

   300,000    1.53    3/1/2006    2/28/2011
   142,500    5.50    10/2/2006    10/1/2011
   104,000    17.395    4/20/2007    4/19/2012

Rixin Liang

   158,858    0.232    3/1/2003    2/28/2008
   105,844    0.3309    3/1/2004    2/28/2009
   75,298    2.25    12/1/2005    11/30/2010
   40,000    16.64    12/26/2006    12/25/2011
   70,000    17.395    4/20/2007    4/19/2012

James Jianzhang Liang

   70,000    2.72    3/17/2006    3/16/2011
   16,000    17.395    4/20/2007    4/19/2012

Min Bao

   70,000    2.72    3/17/2006    3/16/2011
   16,000    17.395    4/20/2007    4/19/2012

Terry Hu

   70,000    3.202    7/4/2006    7/3/2011
   16,000    17.395    4/20/2007    4/19/2012

Kenneth Gaw

   70,000    3.202    7/4/2006    7/3/2011
   16,000    17.395    4/20/2007    4/19/2012

Other individuals as a group

   3,760,416         

On April 10, 2007, our board of directors approved the grant of options to our employees to purchase shares totaling up to 2% of our current total outstanding shares in 2007, or approximately 1.3 million shares. Names of grantees, option exercise price and other material terms will be finalized by us and approved by our compensation committee.

 

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PRINCIPAL AND SELLING SHAREHOLDERS

The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares, assuming conversion of all of our preferred shares into ordinary shares, as of the date of this prospectus, by:

 

   

each of our directors and executive officers;

 

   

each person known to us to own beneficially more than 5% of our ordinary shares; and

 

   

the selling shareholders.

 

     Ordinary Shares
Beneficially Owned
Prior to This Offering
   Ordinary Shares
Being Sold in This
Offering
   Shares Beneficially
Owned After This
Offering (1)
     Number(2)    %(3)    Number    %(3)    Number(2)    %(3)

Directors and Executive Officers:

                 

Neil Nanpeng Shen(4)

   5,442,889    8.18          5,442,889    7.83

James Jianzhang Liang(5)

   4,050,842    6.09          4,050,842    5.84

Rixin Liang(6)

   790,543    1.19          790,543    1.14

David Jian Sun(7)

   709,056    1.07          709,056    1.02

May Wu(8)

   444,771    *          444,771    *

Yunxin Mei(9)

   37,500    *          37,500    *

Min Bao(10)

   17,500    *          17,500    *

All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group(11)

   11,493,101    17.25          11,493,101    16.52

Principal and Selling Shareholders:

                 

Poly Victory Investments Limited(12)

   13,364,140    20.11          13,364,140    19.26

AsiaStar IT Fund L.P.(13)

   8,355,044    12.57    2,300,000    3.46    6,055,044    8.72

IDG Technology Venture Investments, L.P.(14)

   5,013,108    7.54    1,743,690    2.62    3,269,418    4.71

Qi Ji(15)

   4,411,294    6.64          4,411,294    6.36

Chung Lau(16)

   4,033,342    6.07          4,033,342    5.81

* Less than 1%.
(1) Assumes that the underwriters do not exercise the over-allotment option.
(2) Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and includes voting or investment power with respect to the securities.
(3) For each person and group included in this table, percentage ownership prior to this offering is calculated by dividing the number of shares beneficially owned by such person or group by the sum of 66,446,949, being the number of ordinary shares outstanding as of the date of this prospectus, and the number of ordinary shares underlying share options held by such person or group that are exercisable within 60 days after the date of this prospectus. Percentage ownership after this offering is calculated by dividing the number of shares beneficially owned by such person or group by the sum of 69,403,259, being the number of ordinary shares outstanding immediately after the completion of this offering, and the number of ordinary shares underlying share options held by such person or group that are exercisable within 60 days after the date of this prospectus, assuming that the underwriters will not exercise their option to purchase additional ADSs in the offering.
(4) Includes 5,355,389 ordinary shares held by Mr. Shen and 87,500 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of options held by Mr. Shen that are exercisable within 60 days after the date of this prospectus. The business address of Mr. Shen is Rm. 3202a, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong.
(5) Includes 4,033,342 ordinary shares held by Chung Lau, Mr. Liang’s wife and 17,500 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of options held by Mr. Liang that are exercisable within 60 days after the date of this prospectus. Mr. Liang disclaims the beneficial ownership of all the shares held by his wife. The business address of Mr. Liang is No. 400 Tian Yao Qiao Road, Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China.

 

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(6) Includes 450,543 ordinary shares held by Ms. Liang and 340,000 restricted shares held by Ms. Liang. The business address of Ms. Liang is No. 400 Tian Yao Qiao Road, Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China.
(7) Includes 311,556 ordinary shares and 380,000 restricted shares held by Mr. Sun and 17,500 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of options held by Mr. Sun that are exercisable within 60 days after the date of this prospectus. The business address of Mr. Sun is No. 400 Tian Yao Qiao Road, Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China.
(8) Includes 144,771 ordinary shares held by Ms. Wu and 300,000 restricted shares held by Ms. Wu. The business address of Ms. Wu is No. 400 Tian Yao Qiao Road, Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China.
(9) Includes 37,500 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of options held by Mr. Mei that are exercisable within 60 days after the date of this prospectus. The business address of Mr. Mei is No.10 Yabao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020, People’s Republic of China.
(10) Includes 17,500 ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of options held by Mr. Bao that are exercisable within 60 days after the date of this prospectus. The business address of Mr. Bao is Novotel Peace Hotel, No.3 Jinyu Hutong, Wangfujing, Beijing 100006, People’s Republic of China.
(11) Includes ordinary shares, restricted shares and ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of all of the options that are exercisable within 60 days after the date of this prospectus held by all of our directors and senior executive officers as a group.
(12) Includes 13,364,140 ordinary shares. Poly Victory Investments Limited, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, is beneficially owned by Beijing Tourism Group (HK) Holdings Co. Ltd., which in turn is wholly owned by BTG. BTG is a state-owned enterprise in China. Poly Victory Investment Limited’s registered office is at Palm Grove House, P.O. Box 432, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
(13) Includes 8,355,044 ordinary shares held by AsiaStar IT Fund L.P., or AsiaStar, a Cayman Islands limited partnership which is managed by its general partner, AsiaStar Partners, L.P., which is managed by Sycamore Management Corporation, which in turn is owned by Mr. Peter Gerry, Mr. Kilin To and Mr. John Whitman. The business address of AsiaStar is 3 Anson Road, #35-03 Springleaf Tower, Singapore 079909.
(14) Includes 5,013,108 ordinary shares held by IDG Technology Venture Investments, L.P., or IDG, a Delaware limited partnership with two partners. IDG’s limited partner is IDG Technology Venture Investment, Inc., which is wholly owned by International Data Group, Inc., which in turn is majority owned by Mr. Patrick J. McGovern. IDG’s general partner is IDG Technology Venture Investments, LLC, which is controlled and managed by its two managing members, Mr. Quan Zhou and Mr. Patrick J. McGovern. The business address of IDG is Room 1105, Aetna Tower, No. 107, Zunyi Road, Shanghai 200051, People’s Republic of China.
(15) Includes 4,411,294 ordinary shares held by Mr. Ji. The address of Mr. Ji is 3F, Building 63-64, No. 421, Hong Cao Road, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China.
(16) Includes 4,033,342 ordinary shares held by Ms. Lau. Ms. Lau is the wife of our director, James Jianzhang Liang. The address of Ms. Lau is c/o James Jianzhang Liang, 3F, Building 63-64, No. 421, Hong Cao Road, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China.

Seven shareholders of our company, namely, Neil Nanpeng Shen, Qi Ji, Chung Lau, Min Fan, David Jian Sun, May Wu and Rixin Liang have entered into an acting-in-concert agreement. These shareholders currently hold a total of 17,769,037 ordinary shares, or 26.7% of our outstanding voting securities. See “Related Party Transactions—Private Placements” for a description of the terms of this agreement. Each of these seven shareholders disclaims beneficial ownership of our shares except for the shares directly held by such shareholder.

None of our existing shareholders have different voting rights from other shareholders. We are not aware of any arrangement that may, at a subsequent date, result in a change of control of our company.

 

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RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Private Placements

In February 2003, Home Inns Hong Kong sold 86,207 shares of Series A convertible preferred shares in a private placement at a price of US$46.40 per share. The investors in the Series A preferred share private placement consisted of AsiaStar IT Fund L.P., which purchased 53,879 shares, and IDG Technology Venture Investments, L.P., which purchased 32,328 shares. In April 2003, Home Inns Hong Kong’s shareholders and board of directors authorized a 1:200 subdivision of its outstanding shares. Upon the effecting of the subdivision, AsiaStar IT Fund L.P. held 10,775,800 Series A preferred shares and IDG Technology Venture Investments, L.P. held 6,465,600 Series A preferred shares. Each of the purchasers of the Series A preferred shares was an unrelated third party prior to the issuance and sale of the Series A preferred shares. The value of the Series A preferred shares was determined based on arm’s-length negotiations between Home Inns Hong Kong and the purchasers and approved by Home Inns Hong Kong’s board of directors. Each Series A preferred share automatically converted into one ordinary share upon the closing of our initial public offering.

In November 2003, Home Inns Hong Kong sold 2,417,605 shares of Series B convertible preferred shares in a private placement at a price of US$0.3309 per share. The investors in the Series B preferred share private placement consisted of AsiaStar IT Fund L.P., which purchased 1,511,028 shares, and IDG Technology Venture Investments, L.P., which purchased 906,617 shares. Each Series B preferred share automatically converted into one ordinary share upon the closing of our initial public offering.

In May 2004, Home Inns Hong Kong sold 13,219,140 ordinary shares in a private placement at a price of HK$1.57 per share to Poly Victory. In addition, Poly Victory transferred a 12.45% interest in Home Inns Beijing to Home Inns Hong Kong. Poly Victory is a wholly owned subsidiary of BTG. This transaction was approved by Home Inns Hong Kong’s board of directors and shareholders.

In September 2004, Home Inns Hong Kong sold 3,035,000 ordinary shares in a private placement at a price of US$0.3425 per share to Top Sterling International Limited, which was then owned by four individuals, including two directors and the spouse of one other director of our company at that time. This transaction was approved by Home Inns Hong Kong’s board of directors and shareholders. In May 2006, Top Sterling International Limited dissolved and distributed to its shareholders on a pro rata basis its shares of Home Inns Hong Kong.

In September 2004, Home Inns Hong Kong issued an additional 145,000 ordinary shares to Poly Victory Investments Limited at par value. This transaction was approved by Home Inns Hong Kong’s board of directors and shareholders.

In January 2005, Home Inns Hong Kong sold 3,265,841 shares of Series C convertible preferred shares in a private placement at a price of US$1.531 per share. The investors in the Series C preferred share private placement consisted of Susquehanna China Investment HI, which purchased 2,873,940 shares; Kangaroo Investments LLC, which purchased 130,633 shares; Fortune Hero Limited, which purchased 65,317 shares; Soon Yan Seen, who purchased 65,317 shares; Hiroko Nishikawa, who purchased 65,317 shares; and Beihai Capital Limited, which purchased 65,317 shares. Each of the purchasers of the Series C preferred shares was an unrelated third party prior to the issuance and sale of the Series C preferred shares. The value of the Series C preferred shares was determined based on arm’s-length negotiations between Home Inns Hong Kong and the purchasers and approved by Home Inns Hong Kong’s shareholders and board of directors. Each Series C preferred share automatically converted into one ordinary share upon the closing of our initial public offering.

In June 2006, all of the then-existing shareholders of Home Inns Hong Kong exchanged their respective shares of Home Inns Hong Kong for an equivalent number of shares of Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. of equivalent classes. As a result, Home Inns Hong Kong has become our wholly owned subsidiary.

 

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In July 2006, we sold 2,834,037 ordinary shares in a private placement at a price of US$2.77 per share. The purchasers consisted of the following individuals: Neil Nanpeng Shen, one of our directors, who purchased 1,444,095 shares; Chung Lau, the spouse of one of our directors, James Jianzhang Liang, who purchased 722,048 shares; Min Fan, who purchased 361,024 shares; David Jian Sun, our chief executive officer, who purchased 111,556 shares; May Wu, our chief financial officer, who purchased 144,771 shares; and Rixin Liang, our chief operating officer, who purchased 50,543 shares. The sale was approved by our board of directors and shareholders.

In conjunction with the transaction above, the purchasers and Qi Ji entered into an acting-in-concert agreement in July 2006, whereby they have agreed to act together on all matters requiring shareholder approval and to appoint one representative to vote on behalf of all of them at our shareholder meetings. These shareholders currently hold a total of 17,769,037 ordinary shares, or 26.7% of our outstanding voting securities. The agreement will expire 364 days after the date of the agreement.

Shareholders’ Agreement

In connection with our reorganization in June 2006, we and our existing shareholders entered into a shareholders agreement, which incorporates the principal terms of the previous shareholders agreements between Home Inns Hong Kong and our shareholders. Under this shareholders agreement, our board of directors shall comprise of eight directors, including two directors designated by Neil Nanpeng Shen and Chung Lau; two directors designated by AsiaStar IT Fund L.P.; one director designated by IDG Technology Venture Investments, L.P.; two directors designated by Poly Victory Investments Limited; and one director designated by our chief executive officer from time to time. Our existing shareholders are prohibited from transferring more than 30% of their shares either in a single transaction or a series of transactions without the prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding preferred shares. Certain existing shareholders have preemptive rights with respect to any issuance of securities by us, except with respect to this offering and certain other issuances. We and certain of our existing shareholders each have certain rights of first refusal and co-sale rights with respect to any proposed share transfers by any of our existing shareholders. Under this agreement, our preferred shareholders are also entitled to certain registration rights, including demand registration and Form F-3 or Form S-3 registration. See “Description of Share Capital—Registration Rights.” Except for the registration rights, all shareholders’ rights under the shareholders agreement automatically terminated upon the completion of our initial public offering.

Transactions with BTG

BTG is the parent company of Beijing Capital Travel, which is the minority equity interest holder of Home Inns Beijing. It is also the parent company of Poly Victory, which is one of our principal shareholders. In addition to the transactions with BTG involving shares of Home Inns Hong Kong and Hong Inns Beijing as described under “—Private Placements,” we have entered into the following transactions with BTG during the past three years.

Financing Transactions with BTG. In June 2005, Home Inns Hong Kong, Home Inns Beijing and BTG entered into a financing transaction agreement whereby BTG agreed to provide up to RMB 80 million (US$10 million) financing to Home Inns Beijing in the form of loans through a third-party commercial bank to facilitate the anticipated rapid expansion of the Home Inns hotel chain throughout China. We repayed all the indebtedness to BTG in the first quarter of 2007.

Rental Payments to Jian Guo Inns. Jian Guo Inns Beijing Ltd., or Jian Guo Inns, is a subsidiary of BTG. Jian Guo Inns was the lessor of four leased-and-operated Home Inns hotels in 2003. Since 2004, Jian Guo Inns has been the lessor of three leased-and-operated Home Inns hotels. In 2004, 2005 and 2006, we paid RMB 2.6 million, RMB 3.5 million and RMB 3.5 million (US$0.4 million), respectively, to Jian Guo Inns as rental payments.

 

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Transactions with Ctrip

Three of Ctrip’s directors, Neil Nanpeng Shen, James Jianzhang Liang and Suyang Zhang, are also our directors. In addition, one of Ctrip’s directors, Qi Ji, was our director and chief executive officer from 2002 to January 2005. Some of our customers book our hotel rooms through Ctrip and we pay sales commissions to Ctrip for such bookings. In 2003, Home Inns Beijing paid RMB 0.4 million to Ctrip as sales commissions. In 2004, 2005 and 2006, we paid RMB 0.2 million, RMB 2.4 million and RMB 6.0 million (US$0.8 million), respectively, to Ctrip as sales commissions.

Employment Agreements

See “Management—Employment Agreements” for a description of the employment agreements we have entered into with our senior executive officers.

Share Incentives

See “Management—Share Incentives” for a description of share options and stock purchase rights we have granted to our directors, officers and other individuals as a group.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

We are a Cayman Islands company and our affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Law (2004 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, which is referred to as the Companies Law below.

As of the date hereof, our authorized share capital consists of 200,000,000 shares with a par value of US$0.005 each, of which 66,446,949 shares are issued and outstanding.

The following are summaries of material provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Law insofar as they relate to the material terms of our ordinary shares.

Ordinary shares

General. All of our outstanding ordinary shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Certificates representing the ordinary shares are issued in registered form. Our shareholders who are nonresidents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their shares.

Dividends. The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors subject to the Companies Law.

Voting Rights. Each ordinary share is entitled to one vote on all matters upon which the ordinary shares are entitled to vote. Voting at any shareholders’ meeting is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by our chairman or any shareholder holding at least 10% of the shares given a right to vote at the meeting, present in person or by proxy.

A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of at least one shareholder present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative, who hold not less than one-third of our voting share capital. Shareholders’ meetings may be held annually and may be convened by our board of directors on its own initiative or upon a request to the directors by shareholders holding in aggregate at least one-third of our voting share capital. Advance notice of at least 14 days is required for the convening of our annual general meeting and other shareholders’ meetings.

An ordinary resolution to be passed by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes attaching to the ordinary shares cast in a general meeting, while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of the votes cast attaching to the ordinary shares. A special resolution is required for important matters such as a change of name. Holders of the ordinary shares may effect certain changes by ordinary resolution, including alter the amount of our authorized share capital, consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of larger amount than our existing share capital, and cancel any shares.

Transfer of Shares. Subject to the restrictions of our memorandum and articles of association, as applicable, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or any other form approved by our board.

Liquidation. On a return of capital on winding up or otherwise (other than on conversion, redemption or purchase of shares), assets available for distribution among the holders of ordinary shares shall be distributed among the holders of the ordinary shares on a pro rata basis. If our assets available for distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that the losses are borne by our shareholders proportionately.

Calls on Shares and Forfeiture of Shares. Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 days prior to the specified time and place of payment. The shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid on the specified time are subject to forfeiture.

 

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Redemption of Shares. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Law, we may issue shares on terms that are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders, on such terms and in such manner as may be determined by special resolution.

Variations of Rights of Shares. All or any of the special rights attached to any class of shares may, subject to the provisions of the Companies Law, be varied either with the written consent of the holders of a majority of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.

Inspection of Books and Records. Holders of our ordinary shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records. However, we will provide our shareholders with annual audited financial statements. See “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

History of Securities Issuances

The following is a summary of securities issuances by us and share transfers among our existing shareholders during the past three years.

Ordinary Shares. In May 2004, Home Inns Hong Kong sold 13,219,140 ordinary shares in a private placement at a price of HK$1.57 per share to Poly Victory. In addition, Poly Victory transferred a 12.45% interest in Home Inns Beijing to Home Inns Hong Kong. In September 2004, Home Inns Hong Kong issued an additional 145,000 ordinary shares to Poly Victory at par value. In addition, in September 2004, Home Inns Hong Kong sold 3,035,000 ordinary shares in a private placement at a price of US$0.3425 per share to Top Sterling International Limited. In May 2006, Top Sterling International Limited dissolved and distributed its shares to its shareholders pro rata.

In July 2006, we sold 2,834,037 ordinary shares in a private placement at a price of US$2.77 per share. The purchasers consisted of the following individuals: Neil Nanpeng Shen, one of our directors, who purchased 1,444,095 shares; Chung Lau, the spouse of one of our directors, James Jianzhang Liang, who purchased 722,048 shares; Min Fan, who purchased 361,024 shares; David Jian Sun, our chief executive officer, who purchased 111,556 shares; May Wu, our chief financial officer, who purchased 144,771 shares; and Rixin Liang, our chief operating officer, who purchased 50,543 shares.

Preferred Shares. In December 2003, Home Inns Hong Kong sold 2,417,645 shares of Series B convertible preferred shares in a private placement at a price of US$0.3309 per share. The investors in our Series B preferred share private placement consisted of AsiaStar IT Fund L.P., which purchased 1,511,028 shares, and IDG Technology Venture Investments, L.P., which purchased 906,617 shares. In January 2005, Home Inns Hong Kong sold 3,265,841 shares of Series C convertible preferred shares in a private placement at a price of US$1.531 per share. The investors in our Series C preferred share private placement consisted of Susquehanna China Investment HI, which purchased 2,873,940 shares; Kangaroo Investments LLC, which purchased 130,633 shares; Fortune Hero Limited, which purchased 65,317 shares; Soon Yan Seen, who purchased 65,317 shares; Hiroko Nishikawa, who purchased 65,317 shares; and Beihai Capital Limited, which purchased 65,317 shares. Each Series B and Series C preferred share automatically converted into one ordinary share upon the closing of our initial public offering.

Initial Public Offering. On October 31, 2006, we completed our initial public offering, in which we issued and sold 5,874,237 ADSs, representing 11,748,474 of our ordinary shares, and certain of our then shareholders sold 3,210,763 ADSs, representing 6,421,526 of our ordinary shares, in each case at an initial public offering price of US$13.80 per ADS.

Options and Stock Purchase Rights. As of the date of this prospectus, we have granted options and stock purchase rights to purchase a total of 4,775,816 ordinary shares to some of our directors, officers and employees, without giving effect to options that were exercised or terminated. See “Management—Share Incentives.”

 

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Differences in Corporate Law

The Companies Law is modeled after that of the United Kingdom but does not follow recent United Kingdom statutory enactments. In addition, the Companies Law differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Law applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.

Mergers and Similar Arrangements. Cayman Islands law does not provide for mergers as that expression is understood under United States corporate law. However, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the arrangement is approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made, and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it determines that:

 

   

the statutory provisions as to majority vote have been met;

 

   

the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question;

 

   

the arrangement is such that a businessman would reasonably approve; and

 

   

the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Law.

When a take-over offer is made and accepted by holders of 90.0% of the shares within four months, the offerer may, within a two month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or collusion.

If the arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved, the dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of United States corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.

Shareholders’ Suits. We are not aware of any reported class action or derivative action having been brought in a Cayman Islands court. In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff and a derivative action may not be brought by a minority shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:

 

   

a company is acting or proposing to act illegally or ultra vires;

 

   

the act complained of, although not ultra vires, could be effected duly if authorized by more than a simple majority vote which has not been obtained; and

 

   

those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.”

Indemnification. Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime.

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reasonably incurred by such persons in connection with actions, suits or proceedings to which they are party or are threatened to be made a party by reason of their acting as our directors, officers, employees or agents. To be entitled to indemnification, these persons must have acted in good faith and in the best interest and not contrary to the interest of our company, and must not have acted in a manner willfully or grossly negligent and, with respect to any criminal action, they must have had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association also allow for indemnification of such person in the case of a suit initiated by our company or in the right of our company.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers to indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and our articles of association, from and against all costs, charges, expenses, liabilities and losses incurred in connection with any litigation, suit or proceeding to which such director is or is threatened to be made a party, witness or other participant.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and therefore is unenforceable.

Registration Rights

Pursuant to our shareholders agreement entered into in June 2006, we have granted certain registration rights to holders of our registrable securities. Set forth below is a description of the registration rights granted under the agreement.

Demand Registration Rights. At any time commencing 6 months after this offering, holders of at least 50% of registrable securities have the right to demand that we file a registration statement covering the offer and sale of their securities with anticipated aggregate proceeds in excess of US$5 million. We, however, are not obligated to effect a demand registration if (1) we have already effected two demand registration, (2) during the period beginning on the 60th day prior to our good faith estimate of the filing date of, and ending on the 180th day after the effective date of, a public offering of our securities initiated by us, or (3) if the securities to be registered can be registered on Form F-3. We have the right to defer filing of a registration statement for up to 120 days if we provide the requesting holders a certificate signed by either our chief executive officer or chairman of the board of directors stating that in the good faith judgment of the board of directors that filing of a registration statement will be detrimental to us and our shareholders, but we cannot exercise the deferral right more than once in any 24-month period.

Public Listing. In the event that holders of at least 50% of registrable securities requests that we effect a public listing on an internationally recognized stock exchange or over-the-counter market, we must use our best efforts to effect such public listing.

Piggyback Registration Rights. If we propose to file a registration statement for a public offering of our securities other than, among other things, pursuant to an F-3 registration statement or other than relating to a stock option plan or a corporate reorganization, then we must offer holders of registrable securities an opportunity to include in the registration all or any part of their registrable securities. The underwriters of any underwritten offering will have the right to limit the number of shares having registration rights to be included in the registration statement.

Form F-3 Registration Rights. When we are eligible for use of Form F-3, holders of our registrable securities then outstanding have the right to request that we file a registration statement under Form F-3. We are not obligated to file a registration statement on Form F-3 if we have already effected one registration on Form F-3 in any six-month period or the holders propose to sell registrable securities and such other securities (if any) at an aggregate public price of less than US$500,000, net of any underwriters’ discounts or commissions.

Expenses of Registration. We will pay all expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, relating to any demand, piggyback or F-3 registration.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

American Depositary Shares

The Bank of New York, as depositary, will register and deliver American Depositary Shares, or ADSs. Each ADS will represent two ordinary shares (or a right to receive two ordinary shares) deposited with the office of The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS will also represent any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The depositary’s corporate trust office at which the ADSs will be administered is located at 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286. The Bank of New York’s principal executive office is located at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286.

You may hold ADSs either (A) directly (i) by having an American Depositary Receipt, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in your name, or (ii) by holding ADSs in the Direct Registration System, or (B) indirectly through your broker or other financial institution. If you hold ADSs directly, you are an ADS holder. This description assumes you hold your ADSs directly. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADR holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.

The Direct Registration System, or DRS, is a system administered by DTC pursuant to which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated American Depositary Shares, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the ADS holders entitled thereto.

As an ADS holder, we will not treat you as one of our shareholders and you will not have shareholder rights. Cayman Islands law governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the shares underlying your ADSs. As a holder of ADSs, you will have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and you, as an ADS holder, and the beneficial owners of ADSs set out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. New York law governs the deposit agreement and the ADSs.

The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of American Depositary Receipt. Directions on how to obtain copies of those documents are provided in the section of this prospectus headed “Where You Can Find Additional Information.”

Dividends and Other Distributions

How will you receive dividends and other distributions on the shares?

The depositary has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on shares or other deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of ordinary shares your ADSs represent.

 

 

Cash. The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the shares into U.S. dollars, if it can do so on a reasonable basis and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or if any government approval is needed and can not be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADR holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest.

Before making a distribution, any withholding taxes, or other governmental charges that must be paid will be deducted. See the section of this prospectus headed “Taxation.” It will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent. If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.

 

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Shares. The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will sell shares which would require it to deliver a fractional ADS and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will also represent the new shares.

 

 

Rights to purchase additional shares. If we offer holders of our securities any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may make these rights available to you. If the depositary decides it is not legal and practical to make the rights available but that it is practical to sell the rights, the depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights and distribute the proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. The depositary will allow rights that are not distributed or sold to lapse. In that case, you will receive no value for them.

If the depositary makes rights available to you, it will exercise the rights and purchase the shares on your behalf. The depositary will then deposit the shares and deliver ADSs to you. It will only exercise rights if you pay it the exercise price and any other charges the rights require you to pay.

U.S. securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs represented by shares purchased upon exercise of rights. For example, you may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADRs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.

 

 

Other Distributions. The depositary will send to you anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary has a choice. It may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds, in the same way as it does with cash. Or, it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to you unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution.

The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that you may not receive the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you.

Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation

How are ADSs issued?

The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposit shares or evidence of rights to receive shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons entitled thereto.

How do ADS holders cancel an American Depositary Share?

You may turn in your ADSs at the depositary’s corporate trust office. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to you or a person you designate at the office of the custodian. Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its corporate trust office, if feasible.

How do ADS holders interchange between Certificated ADSs and Uncertificated ADSs?

You may surrender your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR and will send you a statement confirming that you are the owner of

 

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uncertificated ADSs. Alternatively, upon receipt by the depositary of a proper instruction from a holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the depositary will execute and deliver to you an ADR evidencing those ADSs.

Voting Rights

How do you vote?

You may instruct the depositary to vote the Deposited Securities, but only if we ask the depositary to ask for your instructions. Otherwise, you won’t be able to exercise your right to vote unless you withdraw the shares. However, you may not know about the meeting enough in advance to withdraw the shares. We intend to ask the depositary to request voting instructions of holders of our ADSs in the future.

If we ask for your instructions, the depositary will notify you of the upcoming vote and arrange to deliver our voting materials to you. The materials will (1) describe the matters to be voted on and (2) explain how you may instruct the depositary to vote the shares or other deposited securities underlying your ADSs as you direct. For instructions to be valid, the depositary must receive them on or before the date specified. The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of the Cayman Islands and of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, to vote or to have its agents vote the shares or other deposited securities as you instruct. The depositary will only vote or attempt to vote as you instruct.

We can not assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote your shares. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and there may be nothing you can do if your shares are not voted as you requested.

In order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to Deposited Securities, if we request the Depositary to act, we will try to give the Depositary notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be voted upon sufficiently in advance of the meeting date.

 

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Fees and Expenses

 

Persons depositing or withdrawing shares must pay:

  For:
US$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs)  

•      Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property

 

•      Cancellation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if the deposit agreement terminates

US$.02 (or less) per ADS  

•      Any cash distribution to you

A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed to you had been shares and the shares had been deposited for issuance of ADSs  

•      Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited securities which are distributed by the depositary to ADS holders

US$.02 (or less) per ADSs per calendar year  

•      Depositary services

Registration or transfer fees  

•      Transfer and registration of shares on our share register to or from the name of the depositary or its agent when you deposit or withdraw shares

Expenses of the depositary  

•      Cable, telex and facsimile transmissions (when expressly provided in the deposit agreement) converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars

Taxes and other governmental charges the depositary or the custodian have to pay on any ADS or share underlying an ADS, for example, stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes  

•      As necessary

Any charges incurred by the depositary or its agents for servicing the deposited securities  

•      As necessary

The Bank of New York, as depositary, has agreed to reimburse us for expenses we incur that are related to the establishment and maintenance of the ADR program, including investor relations expenses and Nasdaq application and listing fees. There are limits on the amount of expenses for which the depositary will reimburse us, but the amount of reimbursement available to us is not linked to the amounts of fees the depositary collects from investors.

The depositary collects its fees for issuance and cancellation of ADSs directly from investors depositing shares or surrendering ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal or from intermediaries acting for them. The depositary also collects fees for making distributions to investors by deducting those fees from the amounts distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. The depositary may collect its annual fee for depositary services by deduction from cash distributions or by directly billing investors or by charging the book-entry system accounts of participants acting for them. The depositary may generally refuse to provide fee-attracting services until its fees for those services are paid.

Payment of Taxes

You will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities represented by your ADSs until such taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities represented by your American Depositary Shares to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to you any proceeds, or send to you any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes.

 

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Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers

 

If we:

  Then:

•      Change the nominal or par value of our shares

 

•      Reclassify, split up or consolidate any of the deposited securities

 

•      Distribute securities on the shares that are not distributed to you

 

•      Recapitalize, reorganize, merge, liquidate, sell all or substantially all of our assets, or take any similar action

 

The cash, shares or other securities received by the depositary will become deposited securities. Each ADS will automatically represent its equal share of the new deposited securities.

 

The depositary may, and will if we ask it to, distribute some or all of the cash, shares or other securities it received. It may also deliver new ADSs or ask you to surrender your outstanding ADSs in exchange for new ADSs identifying the new deposited securities.

Amendment and Termination

How may the deposit agreement be amended?

We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the ADSs without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, or prejudices a substantial right of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADS, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.

How may the deposit agreement be terminated?

The depositary will terminate the deposit agreement at our direction by mailing notice of termination to the ADS holders then outstanding at least 60 days prior to the date fixed in such notice for such termination. The depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement by mailing notice of termination to us and the ADS holders then outstanding if at any time 30 days shall have expired after the depositary shall have delivered to the Company a written notice of its election to resign and a successor depositary shall not have been appointed and accepted its appointment.

After termination, the depositary and its agents will do the following under the deposit agreement but nothing else: collect distributions on the deposited securities, sell rights and other property, and deliver shares and other deposited securities upon cancellation of ADSs. Four months after termination, the depositary may sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders that have not surrendered their ADSs. It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. The depositary’s only obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination our only obligations will be to indemnify the depositary and to pay fees and expenses of the depositary that we agreed to pay.

Limitations on Obligations and Liability

Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs

The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the depositary:

 

   

are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without negligence or bad faith;

 

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are not liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our control from performing our obligations under the deposit agreement;

 

   

are not liable if either of us exercises discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;

 

   

have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other party;

 

   

may rely upon any documents we believe in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party.

In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.

Requirements for Depositary Actions

Before the depositary will deliver or register a transfer of an ADS, make a distribution on an ADS, or permit withdrawal of shares, the depositary may require:

 

   

payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer of any shares or other deposited securities;

 

   

satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and

 

   

compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer documents.

The depositary may refuse to deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs generally when the transfer books of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it advisable to do so.

Your Right to Receive the Shares Underlying your ADRs

You have the right to cancel your ADSs and withdraw the underlying shares at any time except:

 

   

When temporary delays arise because: (i) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books; (ii) the transfer of shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (iii) we are paying a dividend on our shares.

 

   

When you or other ADS holders seeking to withdraw shares owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges.

 

   

When it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal of shares or other deposited securities.

This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.

Pre-release of ADSs

The deposit agreement permits the depositary to deliver ADSs before deposit of the underlying shares. This is called a pre-release of the American Depositary Shares. The depositary may also deliver shares upon cancellation of pre-released ADSs (even if the ADSs are canceled before the pre-release transaction has been closed out). A pre-release is closed out as soon as the underlying shares are delivered to the depositary. The depositary may receive ADSs instead of shares to close out a pre-release. The depositary may pre-release ADSs only under the following conditions: (1) before or at the time of the pre-release, the person to whom the pre-release is being made represents to the depositary in writing that it or its customer owns the shares or ADSs to be deposited; (2) the pre-release is fully collateralized with cash or other collateral that the depositary

 

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considers appropriate; and (3) the depositary must be able to close out the pre-release on not more than five business days’ notice. In addition, the depositary will limit the number of ADSs that may be outstanding at any time as a result of pre-release, although the depositary may disregard the limit from time to time, if it thinks it is appropriate to do so.

Direct Registration System

In the Deposit Agreement, all parties to the Deposit Agreement acknowledge that the DRS and Profile Modification System, or Profile, will apply to uncertificated ADSs upon acceptance thereof to DRS by the Depository Trust Company. DRS is the system administered by DTC pursuant to which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated American Depositary Shares, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the ADS holders entitled thereto. Profile is a required feature of DRS which allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of an ADS holder, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register such transfer.

In connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the Deposit Agreement understand that the depositary will not verify, determine or otherwise ascertain that the DTC participant which is claiming to be acting on behalf of an ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery described in the paragraph above has the actual authority to act on behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the Deposit Agreement, the parties agree that the depositary’s reliance on and compliance with instructions received by the depositary through the DRS/Profile System and in accordance with the Deposit Agreement, shall not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the Depositary.

 

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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

Upon completion of this offering, we will have outstanding 12,585,000 ADSs representing approximately 36.3% of our ordinary shares in issue. All of the ADSs sold in this offering will be freely transferable by persons other than our “affiliates” without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act. Sales of substantial amounts of our ADSs in the public market could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our ADSs. We do not expect that a trading market will develop for our ordinary shares not represented by the ADSs.

Lock-up Agreements

We have agreed that we will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any ADSs or shares of ordinary shares, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior written consent of the representatives for a period commencing on April 24, 2007 and continuing until 90 days after the date of this prospectus, except issuances pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options outstanding on the date hereof or pursuant to our dividend reinvestment plan.

The selling shareholders and our directors and officers have agreed that they will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any ADSs or shares of ordinary shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any ADSs or shares of ordinary shares, enter into a transaction that would have the same effect, or enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of our ADSs, whether any of these transactions are to be settled by delivery of our ADSs or other securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement, without, in each case, the prior written consent of the representatives for a period commencing on April 24, 2007 and continuing until 90 days in the case of the selling shareholders, or 60 days in the case of our directors and officers, after the date of this prospectus. After the expiration of the lock-up period, the ordinary shares or ADSs held by the selling shareholders and our directors and officers may be sold subject to the restrictions under Rule 144 under the Securities Act or by means of registered public offerings.

Poly Victory continues to be subject to a three-year lock-up period which commenced on October 25, 2006. After the expiration of the three-year lock-up period, the ordinary shares or ADSs held by Poly Victory may be sold subject to the restrictions under Rule 144 under the Securities Act or by means of registered public offerings.

Each of the lock-up periods described above is subject to adjustment under certain circumstances. If in the event that either (1) during the last 17 days of the relevant “lock-up” period, we release earnings results or material news or a material event relating to us occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the relevant “lock-up” period, we announce that we will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the relevant “lock-up” period, then in either case the expiration of the relevant “lock-up” will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of the release of the earnings results or the occurrence of the material news or event, as applicable, unless the representatives waive, in writing, such an extension.

Rule 144

In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, a person (or persons whose shares are aggregated) who has beneficially owned our ordinary shares for at least one year, is entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of ordinary shares that does not exceed the greater of the following:

 

   

1% of the then outstanding ordinary shares, in the form of ADSs or otherwise, which will equal approximately 694,033 ordinary shares immediately after this offering; or

 

   

the average weekly trading volume of our ordinary shares in the form of ADSs or otherwise, during the four calendar weeks preceding the date on which notice of the sale is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

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Sales under Rule 144 must be made through unsolicited brokers’ transactions. They are also subject to manner of sale provisions, notice requirements and the availability of current public information about us.

Rule 144(k)

Under Rule 144(k), a person who is not our affiliate at any time during the three months preceding a sale, and who has beneficially owned the ordinary shares, in the form of ADSs or otherwise, proposed to be sold for at least two years, including the holding period of any prior owner other than an affiliate, is entitled to sell those ordinary shares without complying with the manner of sale, public information, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144. Therefore, unless otherwise restricted, “144(k) shares” may be sold at any time.

Rule 701

In general, under Rule 701 of the Securities Act as currently in effect, each of our employees, directors or consultants who purchases our ordinary shares from us in connection with a compensatory stock plan or other written agreement executed prior to the completion of this offering is eligible to resell such ordinary shares in reliance on Rule 144, but without compliance with some of the restrictions, including the holding period, contained in Rule 144.

Registration Rights

Upon completion of this offering, certain holders of our ordinary shares or their transferees will be entitled to request that we register their shares under the Securities Act. See “Description of Share Capital—Registration Rights.”

 

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TAXATION

The following summary of the material Cayman Islands and United States federal income tax consequences of an investment in our ADSs or ordinary shares is based upon laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this prospectus, all of which are subject to change. This summary does not deal with all possible tax consequences relating to an investment in our ADSs or ordinary shares, such as the tax consequences under state, local and other tax laws. To the extent that the discussion relates to matters of Cayman Islands tax law, it represents the opinion of Maples and Calder, our Cayman Islands counsel.

Cayman Islands Taxation

The Cayman Islands currently levies no taxes on individuals or corporations based upon profits, income, gains or appreciation and there is no taxation in the nature of inheritance tax or estate duty. There are no other taxes likely to be material to us levied by the Government of the Cayman Islands except for stamp duties which may be applicable on instruments executed in, or brought within the jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands is not party to any double tax treaties. There are no exchange control regulations or currency restrictions in the Cayman Islands.

United States Federal Income Taxation

The following discussion describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. Holders (defined below) under present law of an investment in the ADSs or ordinary shares. This summary applies only to investors that hold the ADSs or ordinary shares as capital assets and that have the U.S. dollar as their functional currency. This discussion is based on the tax laws of the United States as in effect on the date of this prospectus and on U.S. Treasury regulations in effect or, in some cases, proposed, as of the date of this prospectus, as well as judicial and administrative interpretations thereof available on or before such date. All of the foregoing authorities are subject to change, which change could apply retroactively and could affect the tax consequences described below.

The following discussion does not deal with the tax consequences to any particular investor or to persons in special tax situations such as:

 

   

banks;

 

   

certain financial institutions;

 

   

regulated investment companies;

 

   

real estate investment trusts;

 

   

insurance companies;

 

   

broker dealers;

 

   

U.S. expatriates;

 

   

traders that elect to mark to market;

 

   

tax-exempt entities;

 

   

persons liable for alternative minimum tax;

 

   

persons holding an ADS or ordinary share as part of a straddle, hedging, constructive sale, conversion or integrated transaction;

 

   

persons that actually or constructively own 10.0% or more of our voting stock;

 

   

persons who acquired ADSs or ordinary shares pursuant to the exercise of any employee share option or otherwise as compensation; or

 

   

persons holding ADSs or ordinary shares through partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

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PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS ABOUT THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL TAX RULES TO THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES AS WELL AS THE STATE AND LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF ADSs OR ORDINARY SHARES.

The discussion below of the U.S. federal income tax consequences to “U.S. Holders” will apply if you are a beneficial owner of ADSs or ordinary shares and you are, for U.S. federal income tax purposes,

 

   

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

   

a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) organized under the laws of the United States, any State or the District of Columbia;

 

   

an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

   

a trust that (1) is subject to the supervision of a court within the United States and the control of one or more U.S. persons or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

If you are a partner in partnership or other entity taxable as a partnership that holds ADSs or ordinary shares, your tax treatment generally will depend on your status and the activities of the partnership.

The discussion below assumes that the representations contained in the deposit agreement are true and that the obligations in the deposit agreement and any related agreement will be complied with in accordance with their terms. If you hold ADSs, you should be treated as the holder of the underlying ordinary shares represented by those ADSs for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, deposits or withdrawals of ordinary shares for ADSs will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax.

The U.S. Treasury has expressed concerns that parties to whom ADSs are pre-released may be taking actions that are inconsistent with the claiming, by U.S. Holders of ADSs, of foreign tax credits for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Such actions would also be inconsistent with the claiming of the reduced rate of tax applicable to dividends received by certain non-corporate U.S. Holders, as described below. Accordingly, the availability of the reduced tax rate for dividends received by certain non-corporate U.S. Holders could be affected by future actions that may be taken by the U.S. Treasury or parties to whom ADSs are pre-released.

Taxation of Dividends and Other Distributions on the ADSs or Ordinary Shares

Subject to the passive foreign investment company rules discussed below, the gross amount of all our distributions to you with respect to the ADSs or ordinary shares generally will be included in your gross income as foreign source ordinary dividend income on the date of actual or constructive receipt by the depositary, in the case of ADSs, or by you, in the case of ordinary shares, but only to the extent that the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). To the extent that the amount of the distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, it will be treated first as a tax-free return of your tax basis in your ADSs or ordinary shares, and to the extent the amount of the distribution exceeds your tax basis, the excess will be taxed as capital gain. As we do not maintain records of earnings and profits in accordance with U.S. Federal income tax principles, U.S. Holders should expect that the full amount of any distribution will be reported as dividend. The dividends will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations in respect of dividends received from other U.S. corporations.

With respect to non-corporate U.S. Holders including individual U.S. Holders, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2011, dividends may constitute “qualified dividend income” that is taxed at the lower applicable capital gains rate provided that (1) the ADSs or ordinary shares, as applicable, are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States, (2) we are not a passive foreign investment company (as discussed below) for either our taxable year in which the dividend was paid or the preceding taxable year, and

 

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(3) certain holding period requirements are met. Under Internal Revenue Service authority, ordinary shares, or ADSs representing such shares, are considered for the purpose of clause (1) above to be readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States if they are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, as our ADSs are (but not our ordinary shares). Thus, we do not believe that dividends that we pay on our ordinary shares that are not backed by ADSs currently meet the conditions required for these reduced tax rates. There can be no assurance that our ADSs will be considered readily tradable on an established securities market in later years. You should consult your tax advisors regarding the availability of the lower rate for dividends paid with respect to our ADSs or ordinary shares.

Taxation of Disposition of ADSs or Ordinary Shares

Subject to the passive foreign investment company rules discussed below, you will recognize taxable gain or loss on any sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of an ADS or ordinary share equal to the difference between the amount realized for the ADS or ordinary share and your tax basis in the ADS or ordinary share. The gain or loss generally will be capital gain or loss. If you are a non-corporate U.S. Holder, including an individual U.S. Holder, who has held the ADS or ordinary share for more than one year, you will be eligible for reduced tax rates. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. Any such gain or loss that you recognize generally will be treated as U.S. source income or loss for foreign tax credit limitation purposes.

Passive Foreign Investment Company

We do not expect to be a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes for our current taxable year ending December 31, 2007, and we do not expect to become one in the future, although there can be no assurance in this regard. Our expectation for our current taxable year is based in part on our estimates of the value of our assets as determined based on the expected price of the ADSs and our ordinary shares following this offering. Our actual PFIC status for the current taxable year will not be determinable until the close of such year, and, accordingly, there is no guarantee that we will not be a PFIC for the current taxable year. A non-U.S. corporation is considered to be a PFIC for any taxable year if either:

 

   

at least 75% of its gross income is passive income (the “income test”), or

 

   

at least 50% of the value of its assets (based on an average of the quarterly values of the assets during a taxable year) is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income (the “asset test”).

We will be treated as owning our proportionate share of the assets and earning our proportionate share of the income of any other corporation in which we own, directly or indirectly, more than 25% (by value) of the stock.

We must make a separate determination each year as to whether we are a PFIC. As a result, our PFIC status may change. In particular, because the total value of our assets for purposes of the asset test generally will be calculated using the market price of our ADSs and ordinary shares, our PFIC status will depend in large part on the market price of our ADSs and ordinary shares, which may fluctuate considerably. Accordingly, fluctuations in the market price of the ADSs and ordinary shares may result in our being a PFIC for any year. In addition, the composition of our income and assets will be affected by how, and how quickly, we spend the cash we raise in any offering. If we are a PFIC for any year during which you hold ADSs or ordinary shares, we generally will continue to be treated as a PFIC for all succeeding years during which you hold ADSs or ordinary shares. However, if we cease to be a PFIC, provided that you have not made a mark-to-market election, as described below, you may avoid some of the adverse effects of the PFIC regime by making a deemed sale election with respect to the ADSs or ordinary shares, as applicable.

If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which you hold ADSs or ordinary shares, you will be subject to special tax rules with respect to any “excess distribution” that you receive and any gain you realize from a sale or other disposition (including a pledge) of the ADSs or ordinary shares, unless you make a “mark-to-market”

 

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election as discussed below. Distributions you receive in a taxable year that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions you received during the shorter of the three preceding taxable years or your holding period for the ADSs or ordinary shares will be treated as an excess distribution. Under these special tax rules:

 

   

the excess distribution or gain will be allocated ratably over your holding period for the ADSs or ordinary shares,

 

   

the amount allocated to the current taxable year, and any taxable year prior to the first taxable year in which we became a PFIC, will be treated as ordinary income, and

 

   

the amount allocated to each other year will be subject to the highest tax rate in effect for that year and the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed on the resulting tax attributable to each such year.

The tax liability for amounts allocated to years prior to the year of disposition or “excess distribution” cannot be offset by any net operating losses for such years, and gains (but not losses) realized on the sale of the ADSs or ordinary shares cannot be treated as capital, even if you hold the ADSs or ordinary shares as capital assets.

We do not intend to prepare or provide the information that would enable you to make a qualified electing fund election.

Alternatively, a U.S. Holder of “marketable stock” (as defined below) in a PFIC may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such stock to elect out of the tax treatment discussed above. If you make a valid mark-to-market election for the ADSs or ordinary shares, you will include in income each year an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the ADSs or ordinary shares as of the close of your taxable year over your adjusted basis in such ADSs or ordinary shares. You are allowed a deduction for the excess, if any, of the adjusted basis of the ADSs or ordinary shares over their fair market value as of the close of the taxable year. However, deductions are allowable only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains on the ADSs or ordinary shares included in your income for prior taxable years. Amounts included in your income under a mark-to-market election, as well as gain on the actual sale or other disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares, are treated as ordinary income. Ordinary loss treatment also applies to the deductible portion of any mark-to-market loss on the ADSs or ordinary shares, as well as to any loss realized on the actual sale or disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares, to the extent that the amount of such loss does not exceed the net mark-to-market gains previously included for such ADSs or ordinary shares. Your basis in the ADSs or ordinary shares will be adjusted to reflect any such income or loss amounts. If you make such an election, the tax rules that apply to distributions by corporations that are not PFICs would apply to distributions by us, except that the lower applicable capital gains rate discussed above under “—Taxation of Dividends and Other Distributions on the ADSs and Ordinary Shares” would not apply.

The mark-to-market election is available only for “marketable stock,” which is stock that is traded in other than de minimis quantities on at least 15 days during each calendar quarter (“regularly traded”) on a qualified exchange or other market, as defined in applicable U.S. Treasury regulations. The Nasdaq Global Market is a qualified exchange and, consequently, provided that the ADSs continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Global Market and are regularly traded, if you are a holder of ADSs, the mark-to-market election would be available to you were we to be a PFIC.

If you hold ADSs or ordinary shares in any year in which we are a PFIC, you will be required to file Internal Revenue Service Form 8621 regarding distributions received on the ADSs or ordinary shares and any gain realized on the disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares.

You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the application of the PFIC rules to your investment in ADSs or ordinary shares.

 

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Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Dividend payments with respect to ADSs or ordinary shares and proceeds from the sale, exchange or redemption of ADSs or ordinary shares may be subject to information reporting to the Internal Revenue Service and possible U.S. backup withholding at a current rate of 28%. Backup withholding will not apply, however, to a U.S. Holder who furnishes a correct taxpayer identification number and makes any other required certification or who is otherwise exempt from backup withholding. U.S. Holders who are required to establish their exempt status generally must provide such certification on Internal Revenue Service Form W-9. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the U.S. information reporting and backup withholding rules.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld as backup withholding may be credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability, and you may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules by timely filing the appropriate claim for refund with the Internal Revenue Service and furnishing any required information.

 

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UNDERWRITING

The offering contemplated herein consists of a U.S. offering and an international offering. Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus, the underwriters named below, for whom Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated are acting as representatives of the U.S. underwriters and for whom Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited and Merrill Lynch Far East Limited are acting as representatives of the international underwriters, have severally agreed to purchase, and we and the selling shareholders have agreed to sell to them, the number of ADSs indicated in the table below. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC’s address is Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010-3629 U.S.A. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated’s address is 4 World Financial Center, 250 Vesey Street, New York, New York 10080 U.S.A. Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited’s address is 45th Floor, Two Exchange Square, 8 Connaught Place, Central, Hong Kong. Merrill Lynch Far East Limited’s address is 17th Floor, ICBC Tower, 3 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong.

 

U.S. Underwriters

  

Number of

ADSs

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

  

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

                     Incorporated

  

CIBC World Markets Corp.

  
    

Total

  
    

International Underwriters

   Number of
ADSs

Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Limited

  

Merrill Lynch Far East Limited

  

CIBC Asia Limited

  
    

Total

  
    

The underwriters are offering the ADSs subject to their acceptance of the ADSs from us and the selling shareholders and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the ADSs offered by this prospectus are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitments of non-defaulting underwriters may be increased or the offering may be terminated. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the ADSs offered by this prospectus if any such ADSs are taken. However, the underwriters are not required to take or pay for the ADSs covered by the underwriters’ over-allotment option described below.

All sales of our ADSs in the United States will be made by U.S. registered broker/dealers. The U.S. underwriters and the international underwriters are referred to collectively as the underwriters, and the U.S. representatives and the international representatives are referred to collectively as the representatives.

We and the selling shareholders have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

The representatives have advised us and the selling shareholders that the underwriters propose initially to offer the ADSs to the public at the public offering price on the cover page of this prospectus and to dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of US$             per ADS. No further discount will be allowed to dealers or re-allowed by dealers to other dealers. After the public offering, the public offering price, concession and discount may be changed.

 

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The following table shows the per ADS and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid by us and the selling shareholders in connection with this offering. The amounts in the following table are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.

 

     Per ADS    Total
     Without
Over-allotment
   With
Over-allotment
   Without
Over-allotment
   With
Over-allotment

Underwriting discounts and commissions paid by us

  

US$        
  

US$        
   US$            US$        

Underwriting discounts and commissions paid by the selling shareholders

  

US$        
  

US$        
   US$            US$        

Expenses payable by us

   US$            US$            US$            US$        

We and the selling shareholders have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to an aggregate of 525,000 additional ADSs at the public offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus, less underwriters discounts and commissions. The underwriters may exercise this option solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any, made in connection with the offering of the ADSs offered by this prospectus. To the extent the option is exercised, each underwriter will become obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase additional ADSs approximately proportionate to each underwriter’s initial amount reflected in the table above.

We have agreed that we will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any of our ordinary shares or ADSs or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of our ordinary shares or ADSs, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior written consent of the representatives for a period commencing on April 24, 2007 and continuing until 90 days after the date of this prospectus, except issuances pursuant to the exercise of employee share options outstanding on the date hereof. However, in the event that either (1) during the last 17 days of the “lock-up” period, we release earnings results or material news or a material event relating to us occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the “lock-up” period, we announce that we will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the “lock-up” period, then in either case the expiration of the “lock-up” will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of the release of the earnings results or the occurrence of the material news or event, as applicable, unless the representatives waive, in writing, such an extension.

The selling shareholders and our directors and officers have agreed that they will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of our ordinary shares or ADSs or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of our ordinary shares or ADSs, enter into a transaction that would have the same effect, or enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of our ordinary shares or ADSs, whether any of these transactions are to be settled by delivery of our ordinary shares, ADSs or other securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement, without, in each case, the prior written consent of the representatives for a period commencing on April 24, 2007 and continuing until 90 days in the case of the selling shareholders, or 60 days in the case of our directors and officers, after the date of this prospectus. However, in the event that either (1) during the last 17 days of the relevant “lock-up” period, we release earnings results or material news or a material event relating to us occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the relevant “lock-up” period, we announce that we will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the relevant “lock-up” period, then in either case the expiration of the relevant “lock-up” will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of the release of the earnings results or the occurrence of the material news or event, as applicable, unless the representatives waive, in writing, such an extension.

 

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Our ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “HMIN.”

The underwriters do not expect to sell more than 5% of the shares in the aggregate to accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.

Until the distribution of the ADSs is completed, Securities and Exchange Commission rules may limit underwriters and selling group members from bidding for and purchasing our ADSs. However, the representatives, or any person acting for them, on behalf of the underwriters, may engage in transactions that stabilize the price of the ADSs, such as bids or purchases to peg, fix or maintain that price.

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell our ADSs in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, purchases on the open market to cover positions created by short sales and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of ADSs than they are required to purchase in the offering. “Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional ADSs in the offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their over-allotment option or purchasing ADSs in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of ADSs available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase ADSs through the over-allotment option. “Naked” short sales are sales in excess of the over-allotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing ADSs in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of our ADSs in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of ADSs made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.

The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased ADSs sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

Similar to other purchase transactions, the underwriters’ purchases to cover the syndicate short sales may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our ADSs or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our ADSs. As a result, the price of our ADSs may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market.

Neither we nor any of the underwriters makes any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the ADSs. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters makes any representation that the representatives will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

In connection with the offering, certain of the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses by electronic means, such as e-mail. In addition, the representatives will be facilitating Internet distribution for this offering to certain of their respective Internet subscription customers. An electronic prospectus may be made available on the Internet web site maintained by one or more of the representatives. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information contained on, or that may be accessed through, the web site of any of the representatives is not part of this prospectus.

Some of the underwriters and their affiliates may in the future engage in investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us and our affiliates.

 

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Selling Restrictions

European Union

In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “relevant member state”), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive was implemented in that relevant member state (the “relevant implementation date”) no ADSs have been offered or will be offered in that relevant member state prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the ADSs which has been approved by the competent authority in that relevant member state or, where appropriate, approved in another relevant member state and notified to the competent authority in the relevant member state, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that with effect from and including the relevant implementation date, offers of ADSs may be made to the public in that relevant member state at any time:

 

  (a) to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities;

 

  (b) to any legal entity which has two or more of (i) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (ii) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000; and (iii) an annual turnover of more than €50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts;

 

  (c) to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive) subject to obtaining the prior consent of the underwriters; or

 

  (d) in any other circumstances which do not require the publication by the Corporation of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive,

provided that no such offer of ADSs shall result in a requirement for the publication of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive or any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in a relevant member state and each person who initially acquires any ADSs or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purpose of the expression an “offer of any ADSs to the public” in relation to any securities in any relevant member state means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer of any ADSs to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase any ADSs, as the same may be varied in that relevant member state by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that relevant member state.

In the case of any ADSs being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, such financial intermediary will also be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the ADSs acquired by it have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any shares to the public other than their offer or resale in a relevant member state to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the underwriters has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale. The company, the selling shareholders, the underwriters and their affiliates, and others will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representation, acknowledgement, and agreement. Notwithstanding the above, a person who is not a qualified investor and who has notified the underwriters of such fact in writing may, with the consent of the underwriters, be permitted to subscribe for or purchase ADSs.

This prospectus and any offer when made are only addressed to and directed at persons in member states of the European Economic Area who are “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive (Directive 2003/71/ EC), or Qualified Investors. In addition, in the United Kingdom, this prospectus is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, Qualified Investors (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, or the Order, and Qualified Investors falling within

 

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Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order, and (ii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). This prospectus must not be acted on or relied on (i) in the United Kingdom, by persons who are not relevant persons, and (ii) in any member state of the European Economic Area other than the United Kingdom, by persons who are not Qualified Investors. Any investment or investment activity to which this prospectus relates is available only to (i) in the United Kingdom, relevant persons, and (ii) in any member state of the European Economic Area other than the United Kingdom, Qualified Investors, and will be engaged in only with such persons. This prospectus and its contents should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by recipients to any other person.

United Kingdom

No offer of ADSs has been made or will be made to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of Section 102B of the Financial Services and Markets Act of 2000, as amended, or FSMA, except to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities or otherwise in circumstances which do not require the publication by us of a prospectus pursuant to the Prospectus Rules of the Financial Services Authority, or FSA. Each underwriter will represent, warrant and agree that (i) it has communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the ADSs in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the company; and (ii) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the offering of the ADSs as contemplated by this prospectus in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

Japan

The ADSs have not been and will not be registered under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan (the Securities and Exchange Law) and each underwriter has agreed that it will not offer or sell any ADSs, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Securities and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines in Japan.

Hong Kong

The ADSs may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than to persons whose ordinary business is to buy or sell shares or debentures, whether as principal or agent, or in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong, and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the ADSs may be issued, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to ADSs which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made thereunder.

Singapore

This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the ADSs may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the ADSs be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities

 

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and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA. Where the ADSs are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 by a relevant person which is: (a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or (b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest in that trust shall not be transferable for 6 months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the ADSs under Section 275 except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA; (2) where no consideration is given for the transfer; or (3) by operation of law.

General

No action may be taken in any jurisdiction other than the United States that would permit a public offering of the ADSs or the possession, circulation or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, the ADSs may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and neither the prospectus nor any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the ADSs may be distributed or published in or from any country or jurisdiction except under circumstances that will result in compliance with any applicable rules and regulations of any such country or jurisdiction.

 

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EXPENSES RELATING TO THIS OFFERING

Set forth below is an itemization of the total expenses, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, that we expect to incur in connection with this offering. With the exception of the SEC registration fee and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. filing fee, all amounts are estimates.

 

SEC Registration Fee

   US$ 4,023

National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Filing Fee

     14,700

Printing Expenses

     120,000

Legal Fees and Expenses

     250,000

Accounting Fees and Expenses

     260,000

Miscellaneous

     350,000
      

Total

   US$ 998,723
      

We will pay the above expenses.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the ADSs and certain other legal matters as to United States federal law and New York law in connection with this offering will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP. Certain legal matters as to United States federal law and New York law in connection with this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. The validity of the ordinary shares represented by the ADSs offered in this offering will be passed upon for us by Maples and Calder. Latham & Watkins LLP may rely upon Maples and Calder with respect to matters governed by Cayman Islands law, Commerce & Finance Law Offices with respect to matters governed by PRC law and Li & Partners with respect to matters governed by Hong Kong law. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP may rely upon Maples and Calder and Haiwen and Partners with respect to matters governed by Cayman Islands law and PRC law, respectively, and Li & Partners with respect to matters governed by Hong Kong law.

EXPERTS

Our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2005 and 2006, and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006, included in this prospectus have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company, an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report appearing herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The consolidated financial statements of Home Inns Beijing as of December 31, 2004 and for the year then ended, included in this prospectus have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company, an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report appearing herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The offices of PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company are located at 11th Floor, PricewaterhouseCoopers Center, 202 Hu Bin Road, Shanghai 200021, People’s Republic of China.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-1 (Registration No. 333-142190), including relevant exhibits and securities under the Securities Act with respect to underlying ordinary shares represented by the ADSs, to be sold in this offering. We have also filed with the SEC a related registration statement on F-6 (Registration No. 333-137983) to register the ADSs. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information contained in the registration statement. You should read our registration statements and their exhibits and schedules for further information with respect to us and our ADSs.

We are subject to periodic reporting and other informational requirements of the Exchange Act as applicable to foreign private issuers. Accordingly, we will be required to file reports, including annual reports on Form 20-F, and other information with the SEC. As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules of the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements to shareholders. All information filed with the SEC can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at Room 1580, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference rooms. You may also obtain additional information over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

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INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

 

     Page

Consolidated Financial Statements

  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   F-2

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006

   F-3

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2005 and 2006

   F-4

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006

   F-6

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006

   F-8

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

   F-10

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

 

     Page

Consolidated Financial Statements

  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   F-36

Consolidated Statement of Operations for the Year Ended December 31, 2004

   F-37

Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2004

   F-38

Consolidated Statement of Shareholders’ Equity for the Year Ended December 31, 2004

   F-39

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the Year Ended December 31, 2004

   F-40

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

   F-41

 

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LOGO

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To The Board of Directors and Shareholders of Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc.:

In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated balance sheets and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. (the “Company”) and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Out responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits of these statements in accordance with the standards of Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statements presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

As discussed in Note 2(u) to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed the manner in which it accounts for share-based compensation in 2006.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company

Shanghai, the People’s Republic of China

April 16, 2007

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004, 2005 AND 2006

 

     Note     2004     2005     2006     2006  
           RMB     RMB     RMB     US$  
                             (Note 2(d))  

Revenues:

          

Leased-and-operated hotels

     93,686,931     279,948,268     567,894,885     72,768,786  

Franchised-and-managed hotels

     2,312,662     5,913,244     20,604,785     2,640,251  
                          

Total revenues

     95,999,593     285,861,512     588,499,670     75,409,037  

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

     (5,101,080 )   (16,830,380 )   (33,976,564 )   (4,353,681 )
                          

Net revenues

     90,898,513     269,031,132     554,523,106     71,055,356  
                          

Operating costs and expenses:

          

Leased-and-operated hotel costs –

          

Rents and utilities

     (30,703,169 )   (94,783,918 )   (171,576,396 )   (21,985,417 )

Personnel costs

     (12,949,122 )   (41,225,106 )   (87,980,536 )   (11,273,630 )

Depreciation and amortization

     (5,680,743 )   (23,334,691 )   (44,619,561 )   (5,717,451 )

Consumables, food and beverage

     (6,440,709 )   (20,765,412 )   (43,481,710 )   (5,571,650 )

Others

     (8,162,003 )   (26,099,998 )   (56,018,938 )   (7,178,142 )
                          

Total leased-and-operated hotel costs

     (63,935,746 )   (206,209,125 )   (403,677,141 )   (51,726,290 )

Sales and marketing expenses

     (2,113,140 )   (7,691,002 )   (11,487,529 )   (1,471,986 )

General and administrative expenses

     (16,126,774 )   (24,789,241 )   (64,792,672 )   (8,302,389 )
                          

Total operating costs and expenses

     (82,175,660 )   (238,689,368 )   (479,957,342 )   (61,500,665 )
                          

Income from operations

     8,722,853     30,341,764     74,565,764     9,554,691  
                          

Interest income

     88,453     223,208     6,577,804     842,865  

Interest expense

     (97,793 )   (709,455 )   (6,142,593 )   (787,098 )

Other non-operating income

   2 (z)   325,258     2,145,832     5,308,611     680,234  

Foreign exchange gain (loss), net

   2 (c)   144,268     254,111     (6,990,362 )   (895,729 )
                          

Income before income tax expense, minority interests and share of income of affiliated companies

     9,183,039     32,255,460     73,319,224     9,394,963  

Income tax expense

   8     (5,737,885 )   (6,525,978 )   (21,390,611 )   (2,740,945 )

Minority interests

     552,074     (4,796,810 )   (5,034,255 )   (645,078 )

Share of income of affiliated companies

   6     1,972,098     —       —       —    
                          

Net income

     5,969,326     20,932,672     46,894,358     6,008,940  
                          

Amount allocated to participating preference shareholders

     (2,960,390 )   (9,486,945 )   (16,173,962 )   (2,072,495 )
                          

Net income available to ordinary shareholders

     3,008,936     11,445,727     30,720,396     3,936,445  
                          

Earnings per share

   14          

— Basic

     0.15     0.42     0.86     0.11  
                          

— Diluted

     0.15     0.40     0.82     0.10  
                          

Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding

          

— Basic

     19,981,424     27,399,140     35,550,114     35,550,114  
                          

— Diluted

     20,315,681     28,713,188     37,530,332     37,530,332  
                          

Share-based compensation expense was included in the statement of operations as follows:

          

Leased-and-operated hotel costs – Personnel costs

     8,332     8,124     11,980     1,535  

General and administrative expenses

     141,373     951,702     16,283,344     2,086,511  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2005 AND 2006

 

     Note     2005    2006    2006
           RMB    RMB    US$
                     (Note 2(d))

ASSETS

          

Current assets:

          

Cash and cash equivalents

     37,727,231    758,003,839    97,128,924

Restricted cash

     1,900,000    —      —  

Accounts receivable

     3,130,151    8,902,565    1,140,755

Receivables from related parties

   13     15,729    197,788    25,344

Consumables

     5,529,908    12,131,304    1,554,478

Prepayments and other current assets

   3     5,484,080    10,529,624    1,349,245

Deferred tax assets, current

   8     2,646,868    5,670,939    726,661
                

Total current assets

     56,433,967    795,436,059    101,925,407
                

Property and equipment, net

   4     267,675,576    458,058,608    58,694,610

Goodwill

   7     32,906,112    32,906,112    4,216,516

Intangible assets, net

   5     2,369,471    3,021,795    387,206

Other assets

     2,968,829    4,175,804    535,078

Deferred tax assets, non-current

   8     12,648,245    26,420,799    3,385,502
                

Total assets

     375,002,200    1,320,019,177    169,144,319
                

LIABILITIES

          

Current liabilities:

          

Accounts payable

     3,391,015    8,919,148    1,142,880

Payables to related parties

   13     1,259,409    7,389,990    946,937

Short-term borrowings

   9     20,000,000    124,000,000    15,889,084

Current portion of long-term loan from a related party

   13     —      10,000,000    1,281,378

Salaries and welfare payable

     8,292,922    22,496,135    2,882,605

Income tax payable

     11,389,738    18,399,704    2,357,697

Other taxes payable

     2,016,325    4,548,918    582,888

Deferred revenues

     6,442,135    18,612,207    2,384,927

Accruals for customer reward program

   2 (o)   776,645    2,743,366    351,529

Other payables and accruals

   12     65,109,611    106,119,839    13,597,960

Deferred tax liabilities, current

   8     508,916    —      —  
                

Total current liabilities

     119,186,716    323,229,307    41,417,885
                

 

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Table of Contents

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Continued)

AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2005 AND 2006

 

     Note    2005     2006    2006
          RMB     RMB    US$
                     (Note 2(d))

Deferred rental

      26,533,548     44,103,281    5,651,296

Long-term loan from a related party

   13    40,000,000     50,000,000    6,406,889

Deferred tax liability, non-current

   8    205,101     165,074    21,152
                  

Total liabilities

      185,925,365     417,497,662    53,497,222
                  

Minority interest

      9,994,321     12,782,963    1,637,980

Commitments and contingencies

   15        

Shareholders’ equity

          

Convertible preferred shares

   10        

Series A preferred shares (US$0.005 par value; 17,241,400 and nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2005 and 2006, respectively)

      713,541     —      —  

Series B preferred shares (US$0.005 par value; 2,417,645 and nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2005 and 2006, respectively)

      100,055     —      —  

Series C preferred shares (US$0.005 par value; 3,265,841 and nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2005 and 2006, respectively)

      135,149     —      —  

Ordinary shares (US$0.005 par value; 177,075,114 and 200,000,000 shares authorized, 27,399,140 and 65,712,839 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2005 and 2006, respectively)

   10    1,133,911     2,690,943    344,811

Additional paid-in capital

      152,878,585     813,222,265    104,204,491

Statutory reserves

   2(aa)    11,360,020     23,414,541    3,000,287

Deferred share-based compensation

   11    (2,809,713 )   —      —  

Retained earnings

      15,570,966     50,410,803    6,459,528
                  

Total shareholders’ equity

      179,082,514     889,738,552    114,009,117
                  

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

      375,002,200     1,320,019,177    169,144,319
                  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004, 2005 AND 2006

 

    Preferred Shares   Ordinary shares   Additional
paid-in
capital
  Statutory
reserves
 

Deferred
share-
based

compen-

sation

    Retained
earnings
   

Total
share-

holders’
equity

    Series A   Series B   Series C            
    Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount   Shares   Amount          

Balance as of January 1, 2004

  17,241,400   713,541   2,417,645   100,055   —     —     11,000,000   455,252   43,062,375   —     —       941,300     45,272,523

Issuance of ordinary shares to acquire additional shares of Home Inns Beijing (Note 7)

  —     —     —     —     —     —     13,219,140   547,058   56,308,253   —     —       —       56,855,311

Issuance of ordinary shares to Top Sterling International Limited

  —     —     —     —     —     —     3,035,000   125,600   8,488,903   —     —       —       8,614,503

Issuance of ordinary shares to Poly Investment

  —     —     —     —     —     —     145,000   6,001   906,311   —     —       (912,312 )   —  

Net income

  —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —       5,969,326     5,969,326

Recognition of share-based compensation costs

  —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     1,921,464   —     (1,771,759 )   —       149,705

Appropriations to statutory reserves

  —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     3,323,064   —       (3,323,064 )   —  
                                                       

Balance as of December 31, 2004

  17,241,400   713,541   2,417,645   100,055   —     —     27,399,140   1,133,911   110,687,306   3,323,064   (1,771,759 )   2,675,250     116,861,368
                                                       

Issuance of Series C preferred shares

  —     —     —     —     3,265,841   135,149   —     —     40,193,499   —     —       —       40,328,648

Net income

  —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —       20,932,672     20,932,672

Recognition of share-based compensation costs

  —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     1,997,780   —     (1,037,954 )   —       959,826

Appropriations to statutory reserves

  —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     —     8,036,956   —       (8,036,956 )   —  
                                                       

Balance as of December 31, 2005

  17,241,400   713,541   2,417,645   100,055   3,265,841   135,149   27,399,140   1,133,911   152,878,585   11,360,020   (2,809,713 )   15,570,966     179,082,514
                                                       

 

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Table of Contents

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004, 2005 AND 2006

 

    Preferred Shares     Ordinary shares   Additional
paid-in
capital
    Statutory
reserves
 

Deferred
share-
based

compen-

sation

    Retained
earnings
   

Total
share-

holders’
equity

    Series A     Series B     Series C              
    Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Shares   Amount          

Balance as of December 31, 2005

  17,241,400     713,541     2,417,645     100,055     3,265,841     135,149     27,399,140   1,133,911   152,878,585     11,360,020   (2,809,713 )   15,570,966     179,082,514

Adjustment as a result of adoption of SFAS No.123(R) (Note 2(u))

  —       —       —       —       —       —       —     —     (2,809,713 )   —     2,809,713     —       —  

Issuance of ordinary shares in a private placement (Note 10(b))

  —       —       —       —       —       —       2,834,037   113,254   72,369,169     —     —       —       72,482,423

Issuance of ordinary shares in an initial public offering (Note 10(b))

  —       —       —       —       —       —       11,748,474   462,843   580,788,631     —     —       —       581,251,474

Conversion of convertible preferred shares to ordinary shares (Note 10(a))

  (17,241,400 )   (713,541 )   (2,417,645 )   (100,055 )   (3,265,841 )   (135,149 )   22,924,886   948,745   —       —     —       —       —  

Exercise of stock purchase right (Note 10(b))

  —       —       —       —       —       —       806,302   32,190   6,579,205     —     —       —       6,611,395

Net income

  —       —       —       —       —       —       —     —     —       —     —       46,894,358     46,894,358

Recognition of share-based compensation costs

  —       —       —       —       —       —       —     —     3,416,388     —     —       —       3,416,388

Appropriations to statutory reserves

  —       —       —       —       —       —       —     —     —       12,054,521   —       (12,054,521 )   —  
                                                                     

Balance as of December 31, 2006

  —       —       —       —       —       —       65,712,839   2,690,943   813,222,265     23,414,541   —       50,410,803     889,738,552
                                                                     

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

 

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Table of Contents

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004, 2005 AND 2006

 

     2004     2005     2006     2006  
     RMB     RMB     RMB     US$  
                       (Note 2(d))  

Cash flows from operating activities:

        

Net income

   5,969,326     20,932,672     46,894,358     6,008,939  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities :

        

Share-based compensation

   149,705     959,826     16,295,324     2,088,047  

Depreciation and amortization

   5,966,640     23,845,499     46,602,636     5,971,558  

Foreign exchange loss, net

   —       —       6,990,362     895,729  

Minority interests

   (552,074 )   4,796,810     5,034,255     645,078  

Share of income of affiliated companies

   (1,972,098 )   —       —       —    

Loss from disposal of property and equipment

   —       126,326     192,177     24,625  

Deferred income tax

   (2,880,887 )   (9,927,633 )   (17,345,568 )   (2,222,622 )

Change in assets and liabilities, excluding effects of consolidation of Home Inns Beijing in 2004 (Note 7):

        

(Increase) decrease in restricted cash

   —       (1,900,000 )   1,900,000     243,462  

Increase in accounts receivable

   (734,068 )   (1,919,852 )   (5,772,414 )   (739,664 )

Decrease (increase) in receivables from related parties

   460,847     (6,033 )   (182,059 )   (23,329 )

Increase in consumables

   (1,464,781 )   (3,673,177 )   (6,601,396 )   (845,888 )

Increase in prepayments and other current assets

   (2,558,722 )   (761,702 )   (5,045,544 )   (646,525 )

Increase in other assets

   (566,429 )   (1,712,400 )   (1,206,975 )   (154,659 )

Increase in accounts payable

   132,012     1,392,615     5,528,133     708,363  

(Decrease) increase in payables to related parties

   (2,274,873 )   910,989     25,498     3,267  

Increase in salary and welfare payable

   4,006,562     2,997,182     14,203,213     1,819,968  

Increase in income tax payable

   1,174,256     7,620,146     7,009,966     898,241  

Increase in other taxes payable

   728,530     1,287,795     2,532,593     324,521  

Increase in accruals for customer reward program

   68,275     708,370     1,966,721     252,011  

Increase in other payables and accruals

   15,116,138     4,394,738     13,211,428     1,692,883  

Increase in deferred revenues

   48,239     5,888,315     12,170,072     1,559,446  

Increase in deferred rental

   7,846,744     14,643,467     17,569,733     2,251,346  
                        

Net cash provided by operating activities

   28,663,342     70,603,953     161,972,513     20,754,797  
                        

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Continued)

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004, 2005 AND 2006

 

     2004     2005     2006     2006  
     RMB     RMB     RMB     US$  
                       (Note 2(d))  

Cash flows from investing activities:

        

Proceeds from sale of fixed assets

   —       112,069     70,831     9,076  

Purchase of property and equipment

   (57,018,136 )   (158,432,612 )   (212,624,518 )   (27,245,232 )

Purchase of intangible assets

   (216,573 )   (1,018,286 )   (1,241,071 )   (159,028 )

Net cash acquired from consolidation of Home Inns Beijing

   14,915,910     —       —       —    
                        

Net cash used in investing activities

   (42,318,799 )   (159,338,829 )   (213,794,758 )   (27,395,184 )
                        

Cash flows from financing activities:

        

Proceeds from issuance of preferred shares

   —       40,328,648     —       —    

Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares

   30,374,711     —       650,588,236     83,364,929  

Capital contribution from minority shareholders

   1,230,000     —       —       —    

Proceeds from short-term borrowings

   —       20,000,000     190,000,000     24,346,177  

Proceeds from long-term loans from a related party

   —       40,000,000     20,000,000     2,562,755  

Advance from a related party

   —       —       6,746,592     864,493  

Repayment of short-term borrowings

   (3,000,000 )   —       (86,000,000 )   (11,019,849 )

Dividend paid by a VIE subsidiary to a minority shareholder

   —       (158,108 )   (2,245,613 )   (287,748 )
                        

Net cash provided by financing activities

   28,604,711     100,170,540     779,089,215     99,830,757  
                        

Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

   —       —       (6,990,362 )   (895,729 )

Net increase in cash

   14,949,254     11,435,664     720,276,608     92,294,641  

Cash, beginning of year

   11,342,313     26,291,567     37,727,231     4,834,283  
                        

Cash, end of year

   26,291,567     37,727,231     758,003,839     97,128,924  
                        

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information

        

Cash paid during the year for income taxes

   (4,849,180 )   (8,833,465 )   (31,726,213 )   (4,065,326 )

Cash paid during the year for interest

   (97,793 )   (709,455 )   (6,142,593 )   (787,098 )

Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:

        

Acquisition of 12.45% ownership in Home Inns Beijing by issuance of ordinary shares

   35,095,103     —       —       —    

Increase in payables for property and equipment

   4,422,575     33,793,261     24,035,411     3,079,844  

Increase in accruals for share issuance costs

   —       —       3,763,389     482,232  

Decrease in advance from related parties on issuance of ordinary shares

   —       —       641,509     82,202  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

F-9


Table of Contents

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

1. ORGANIZATION AND NATURE OF OPERATIONS

The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. (the Company), its subsidiaries, and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which the Company is the primary beneficiary (“VIE subsidiary”). The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries are collectively referred to as the “Group”.

Home Inns & Hotels Management (Hong Kong) Limited (“Home Inns HK”), the Company’s predecessor, is a holding company incorporated in Hong Kong on May 28, 2001. Home Inns HK did not have any operations until April 2002 when Home Inns & Hotels Management (Beijing) Co. Ltd. (“Home Inns Beijing”), a hotel operation and management company, was established as a joint venture of Home Inns HK and Beijing Capital Travel International Hotel Group Co., Ltd. (“Beijing Capital Travel”), a subsidiary of Beijing Tourism Group (“BTG”). At inception, Home Inns HK and BTG, through Beijing Capital Travel, owned 55% and 45% interest in Home Inns Beijing, respectively. Through a series of financing activities and acquisitions, Home Inns HK’s ownership in Home Inns Beijing increased to 95.588% as of February 1, 2005 (Note 7). Prior to April 8, 2004, Home Inns Beijing was an affiliated company of Home Inns HK, and was accounted for under the equity method. Pursuant to the revised Articles of Association of Home Inns Beijing dated April 8, 2004, Home Inns HK obtained control of Home Inns Beijing and its subsidiaries, and thus consolidated their results of operations with effect from April 2004.

Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. (the Company) was established in Cayman Islands on May 30, 2006. On June 29, 2006, all the then existing shareholders of Home Inns HK exchanged their respective shares of Home Inns HK for an equivalent number of shares of the Company of equivalent classes. As a result, Home Inns HK has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company since June 29, 2006. The rights of the preferred and ordinary shares issued by the Company are the same as those originally issued by Home Inns HK. The accompanying consolidated financial statements reflect the June 2006 reorganization and have been prepared as if the current corporate structure had been in existence throughout the relevant periods.

In October 2006, the Company completed an initial public offering of American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”). ADSs of the Company are traded from October 26, 2006 on Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “HMIN” in the United States.

The principal activities of the Group are to develop, lease, operate, franchise, and manage economy hotels under the Home Inn brand in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”). The Group either leases real estate properties on which it develops and operates hotels or it franchises the Home Inn brand to hotel owners and manages these hotels. The former type of hotels is referred to as “leased-and-operated hotels” and the latter type of hotels as “franchised-and-managed hotels.”

Leased-and-operated hotels

The Group leases hotel properties from property owners and is responsible for all aspects of hotel operations and management, including hiring, training and supervising the managers and employees required to operate the hotels. In addition, the Group is responsible for hotel development and customization to conform to the standards of Home Inns at the beginning of the lease, as well as repairs and maintenance, operating expenses and management of properties over the term of the lease. Under the lease arrangements, the Group typically pays fixed rent on a quarterly basis for the first three or five years of the lease term, after which the rental payments may be subject to an increase every three to five years.

 

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Table of Contents

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Franchised-and-managed hotels

The Group enters into certain franchise arrangements with property owners for which the Group is responsible for managing the hotels, including hiring and appointment of the general manager of each franchised-and-managed hotel. Under a typical franchise agreement, the franchisee is required to pay an initial franchise fee and ongoing management service fees equal to a certain percentage of the revenues of the hotel. The franchisee is responsible for the costs of hotel development and customization and the costs of its operations. The term of the franchise agreement is typically 5 years and is renewable only upon mutual agreement between the Group and the franchisee.

2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements are set out below:

a. Basis of presentation and use of estimates

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

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the balance sheet dates and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.

Certain accounts for prior years have been reclassified with no effect on net income or retained earnings to conform to the 2006 financial statement presentation.

b. Basis of consolidation and accounting for investments

The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company, its subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries.

The Group applies the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Interpretation No. 46 (Revised 2003), Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51” (“FIN 46(R)”) to account for certain entities in which equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support.

Under FIN 46(R), a company consolidates a VIE if that company has a variable interest that will absorb a majority of the expected losses, receives a majority of the entity’s expected residual returns, or both. The company that absorbs a majority of the VIE’s expected losses and receives a majority of the VIE’s expected residual returns is a primary beneficiary.

The Group is the primary beneficiary of four variable interest entities, Home Inns & Hotels Management (Xiamen) Co., Ltd (“Home Inns Xiamen”), Home Inns & Hotels Management (Fuzhou) Co., Ltd (“Home Inns Fuzhou”), Home Inns & Hotels Management (Caoxi) Co., Ltd (“Home Inns Caoxi”), and Home Inns & Hotels Management (Caobao) Co., Ltd (“Home Inns Caobao”), of which the principal activity generally relates to hotel

 

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Table of Contents

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

management. The total registered capital of the four VIEs was RMB 4,000,000 as of December 31, 2006. The entities were considered variable interest entities because the equity at risk of each entity was not sufficient to finance its intended activities without additional financial support. The Company has 51% ownership interest in Home Inns Xiamen, Home Inns Fuzhou and Home Inns Caoxi and 75% ownership interest in Home Inns Caobao, and the Company is considered the primary beneficiary of these entities because it absorbs a majority of the entities’ expected losses and receives a majority of the entities’ expected residual returns. As a result, the operations of the VIEs are included in the consolidated financial statements since their incorporation in 2004.

The entities that operate the franchised-and-managed hotels (Note 1) are considered variable interest entities as the franchisees do not have the ability to make decisions that have a significant impact on the success of the franchise arrangement. However, as the franchisees provide all necessary capital to finance the operation of the franchised hotels and absorb a majority of any expected losses, the Company is not considered the primary beneficiary of those entities.

Subsidiaries are those consolidated entities in which the Company directly or indirectly controls more than one half of the voting power; has the power to govern the financial and operating policies; to appoint or remove the majority of the members of the board of directors; to cast majority of votes at the meetings of the board of directors; or to govern the financial and operating policies of the investee under a statue or agreement among the shareholders or equity holders.

All inter-company transactions and balances within the Group are eliminated upon consolidation. Minority interests represent the interests of outside minority shareholders in the operating results and net assets of certain consolidated subsidiaries.

Investments in businesses that the Company does not control, but has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial matters are accounted for using the equity method. Unrealized gains on transactions between the Group and its affiliated companies are eliminated to the extent of the Group’s interest in the unconsolidated affiliated companies.

c. Foreign currencies

The Group’s functional currency is Renminbi (“RMB”). Transactions denominated in currencies other than RMB are translated into RMB at the exchange rates quoted by the People’s Bank of China (the “PBOC”) prevailing at the dates of the transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into RMB using the applicable exchange rates quoted by the PBOC at the balance sheet dates. All such exchange gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are included in the consolidated statements of operations.

d. Convenience translation

Translations of balances in the statements of operations, balance sheet and statement of cash flows from RMB into United States dollars (“US$”) as of and for the year ended December 31, 2006 are solely for the convenience of the reader and were calculated at the rate of US$1.00 = RMB 7.8041, on December 31, 2006, representing the noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers of RMB, as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. No representation is intended to imply that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted, realized or settled into US$ at that rate on December 31, 2006, or at any other rate.

 

F-12


Table of Contents

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

e. Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and demand deposits placed with banks or other financial institutions. Cash balance as of December 31, 2005 consists of RMB 33,033,051, US$552,043 and HK$231,798. Cash balance as of December 31, 2006 consists of RMB 113,135,507, US$82,488,096 and HK$738,890.

f. Restricted cash

Restricted cash primarily consists of deposits held in escrow.

g. Accounts receivable

Provision is made against accounts receivable to the extent collection is considered to be doubtful. Accounts receivable in the balance sheet are stated net of such provision, if any. As of December 31, 2005 and 2006, the Group has not recorded any allowance for doubtful accounts.

h. Consumables

The Group has purchased consumables mainly for the operation of leased-and-operated hotels. Consumables are amortized over their useful lives, generally one year or less, from the time they are put into use and are stated at purchase price less accumulated amortization.

i. Property and equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization and impairment losses, if any. The cost of property and equipment comprises its purchase price and any directly attributable costs, including interest cost capitalized in accordance with SFAS No. 34, “Capitalization of Interest Costs” (“SFAS No. 34”), during the period the asset is brought to its working condition and location for its intended use.

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment is provided using the straight line method over their expected useful lives. The expected useful lives are as follows:

 

Leasehold improvements

   Over the shorter of the economic useful life or the lease period

Machinery and equipment

   5 to 10 years

Furniture, fixtures and office equipment

   3 to 5 years

Construction in progress represents leasehold improvements under construction or being installed and is stated at cost. Cost comprises original cost of property and equipment, installation, construction and other direct costs. Construction in progress is transferred to leasehold improvements and amortization commences when the asset is ready for its intended use.

Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Gain or loss on disposal of property and equipment, if any, is recognized in the statements of operations as the difference between the net sales proceeds and the carrying amount of the underlying asset.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

j. Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquired entity over the appropriate share of the fair value of the identifiable assets and liabilities acquired including separately identifiable intangible assets. The provisions of SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (“SFAS No. 142”) require that a two-step impairment test be performed annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the goodwill may not be recoverable. The first step of the test for impairment compares the book value of the Group’s reporting unit under which goodwill is recorded to its estimated fair value. The second step of the goodwill impairment test, which is only required when the net book value of the reporting unit exceeds the fair value, measures the impairment as the difference between the implied fair value of goodwill and its book value. Goodwill is not amortized. No impairment was recognized for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005, and 2006.

k. Intangible assets

Intangible assets consist primarily of intangible assets acquired in business combinations. The Group applies the criteria specified in SFAS No. 141 “Business Combinations” (“SFAS No. 141”) to determine whether an intangible asset should be recognized separately from goodwill. Intangible assets acquired through business combinations are recognized as assets separate from goodwill if they satisfy either the “contractual-legal” or “separability” criterion. Intangible assets, including favorable lease agreements and certain franchise agreements existing as of the date of acquisition, are recognized and measured at fair value upon acquisition. Intangible assets from such business combination transactions are amortized over the remaining operating lease term or the franchise agreement term, as appropriate.

Purchased software is stated at cost less accumulated amortization and impairment, if any.

l. Impairment of long-lived assets and definite-lived intangible assets

Long-lived assets and definite-lived intangible assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable in accordance with SFAS No.144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-lived Assets” (“SFAS No. 144”). If the total of the expected future undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying value, an indication of impairment is present and a loss is recognized in the statements of operations for the difference between the fair value, using the expected future discounted cash flows, and the carrying value of the assets. No impairment was recognized for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005, and 2006.

m. Financial instruments

Financial instruments of the Group primarily comprise of cash, accounts receivable, related party receivables and payables, accounts payable, other payables, short-term borrowing and a long-term loan from a related party. As of December 31, 2005 and 2006, carrying values of financial instruments approximated their fair values.

n. Employee benefits

The employees of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries are entitled to staff welfare benefits including medical care, housing fund, unemployment insurance and pension benefits. These entities are required to accrue for these benefits based on certain percentages of the employees’ salaries, subject to certain

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

ceilings, in accordance with the relevant PRC regulations and make contributions to the government-sponsored plans out of the amounts accrued. Amounts accrued and included in salaries and welfare payable in the accompanying balance sheets were RMB 811,566 and RMB 1,230,005 for the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2006, respectively.

o. Accruals for customer reward program

The Group invites its customers to participate in a customer reward program. Prior to November 14, 2004, membership was free of charge. A one-time membership fee was charged after that date for new members. Members enjoy discounts on room rates, priority in hotel reservation, and accumulate membership points for their paid stays, which can be redeemed for membership upgrades, room night awards and other gifts. The estimated incremental costs to provide membership upgrades, room night awards and other gifts are accrued and recorded as accruals for customer reward program as members accumulate points and recognized as sales and marketing expense in the accompanying statements of operations. As members redeem awards or their entitlements expire, the provision is reduced correspondingly. As of December 31, 2005 and 2006, the accruals for customer reward program amounted to RMB 776,645 and RMB 2,743,366, respectively, based on the estimated liabilities under the customer reward program.

p. Deferred Revenue

Deferred revenue generally consists of advances received from customers for room stays, initial franchise fees paid prior to the Group fulfilling its commitments to the franchisee, and cash received from sale of membership programs.

q. Revenue recognition

Revenues from leased-and-operated hotels represent primarily room rentals and food and beverage sales from the leased-and-operated hotels. Such revenues are recognized when goods and services are delivered.

Revenues from franchised-and-managed hotels are derived from franchise agreements where the franchisees are required to pay (i) an initial one-time franchise fee and (ii) on-going management and service fees based on a percentage of revenue, which approximate 5% to 6% of the room revenues of the franchised hotels. The one-time franchise fee is recognized when the franchised hotel opens for business, the fee becomes non-refundable, and the Group has fulfilled all its commitments and obligations, including the assistance to the franchisees in property design, leasehold improvement construction project management, systems installation, personnel recruiting and training. On-going management and service fees are recognized when the underlying service revenue is recognized by the franchisees’ operations. Other revenues generated from franchise agreements include system maintenance and support fee and central reservation system (“CRS”) usage fee, which are recognized when services are provided.

Revenues from the one-time membership fees are recognized over the estimated average customer relationship period. Prior to 2006, given the limited history in operating the Group’s customer reward program (Note 2(o)), all one-time membership fees were recognized as deferred revenue when received. In 2006, management made an analysis on the historic pattern of the activities of membership cards and noted that membership cards with no activities for more than a year are most likely to expire in the future and therefore the Group recognized revenue from one-time membership fees when membership records show lack of usage activity for a year. For the year ended December 31, 2006, the Company recognized revenue of RMB 1,802,462 from one-time membership fees.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

r. Business tax and related surcharge

The Group is subject to business tax and related surcharges on the services provided in the PRC. Such tax is levied based on turnover at an applicable rate of approximately 5.5% and is recorded as a reduction of revenues.

s. Leased-and-operated hotel costs

Leased-and-operated hotel costs include all direct costs incurred in the operation of the leased-and-operated hotels and consist primarily of property rentals and related expenses, utility costs, personnel compensation, amortization of guest room consumables, amortization of leasehold improvements, depreciation of equipment, costs of consumables, food and beverage.

t. Sales and marketing

Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of advertising related expenses, expenses associated with the Company’s membership reward program and payroll and related compensation for the Group’s sales and marketing personnel. Advertising related expenses, including promotion expenses and production costs of marketing materials, are charged to the statements of operations as incurred, and amounted to RMB 1,263,499, RMB 4,668,580 and RMB 5,334,465 for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.

u. Share-based compensation

Prior to December 31, 2005, the Group accounted for share-based compensation arrangements in accordance with Accounting Principles Board (“APB”) Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees” (“APB No. 25”), and complied with the disclosure provisions of SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation” (“SFAS No. 123”). Under APB No. 25, compensation cost is recognized based on the difference, if any, between the estimated fair value of the Group’s ordinary shares and the amount an employee is required to pay to acquire the ordinary shares, as determined on the date the option is granted. Total compensation cost is recorded in shareholders’ equity as additional paid-in capital and deferred share-based compensation. Deferred share-based compensation is amortized on a straight-line basis and charged to expense over the vesting period of the underlying options.

Effective January 1, 2006, the Group adopted the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment” (“SFAS No. 123(R)”), which revises SFAS No. 123, and supersedes APB No. 25. Under the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123(R), the Group applied the prospective transition method and measured share-based compensation at fair value on the awards’ grant date based on the estimated number of awards that are expected to vest. Under the prospective transition method, the Group continued to account for non-vested awards outstanding under the provisions of APB No. 25. Only awards granted (or modified, repurchased, or cancelled) after the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R) were accounted for under the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R). The “Deferred share-based compensation” line on the Consolidated Balance Sheet, a contra-equity line representing the amount of unrecognized share-based compensation costs, was eliminated as of January 1, 2006.

In conjunction with the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R), the Group was required to estimate forfeitures at the time of grant and revise in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. Compensation expense was recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award based on the fair value of the award on grant date. The requisite service period is the vesting period, which is generally 4 years.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

The adoption of SFAS No. 123(R) in 2006 resulted in the recognition of incremental share-based compensation costs in 2006 of RMB 684,295, a reduction in net income of RMB 684,295, and a reduction of both basic and diluted earnings per share of RMB 0.013 and RMB 0.012, respectively.

If the compensation cost for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2005 had been determined based on the fair value at the grant dates for the share option awards as prescribed by SFAS No. 123, the Group’s net income attributable to ordinary shareholders and earnings per share would have resulted in the pro forma amounts disclosed below.

 

     2004     2005  

Net income, as reported

   5,969,326     20,932,672  

Add: Compensation expense under APB No. 25

   149,705     959,826  

Less: Compensation expense under SFAS No. 123

   (164,115 )   (1,049,442 )
            

Pro forma net income

   5,954,916     20,843,056  
            

Less: Amount allocated to participating preference shareholders

   (2,953,244 )   (9,446,330 )
            

Pro forma net income attributable to ordinary shareholders

   3,001,672     11,396,726  
            

Basic earnings per share

    

— As reported

   0.15     0.42  
            

— Pro forma

   0.15     0.42  
            

Diluted earnings per share

    

— As reported

   0.15     0.40  
            

— Pro forma

   0.15     0.40  
            

v. Operating leases

Leases where substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership of assets remain with the lessor are accounted for as operating leases. Payments made under operating leases net of any incentives received from the lessor are charged to the consolidated statements of operations on a straight-line basis over the terms of the underlying lease.

w. Borrowing costs

Interest costs are capitalized for qualifying assets in accordance with SFAS No. 34, “Capitalization of Interest Cost”. For the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005, and 2006, total interest capitalized was nil, RMB 264,659 and RMB 966,310, respectively.

x. Pre-operating expenditure

Pre-operating expenditure represents start-up costs, other than amounts capitalized as leasehold improvements, for leased-and-operated hotels and is recognized as general and administrative expense and charged to the consolidated statements of operations in the period in which it is incurred.

y. Taxation

Income tax expenses are recorded using the liability method. Deferred tax assets or liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax effects attributable to temporary differences and tax loss carry forwards. Deferred tax

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

assets and liabilities are measured using enacted income tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized in statements of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce the amount of deferred tax assets if it is considered more likely than not that such assets will not be realized.

z. Other non-operating income

Other non-operating income primarily consists of financial subsidies received from provincial and local governments for operating a business in their jurisdictions and compliance with specific policies promoted by the local governments. During the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the Group received financial subsidies of RMB 258,055, RMB 1,983,546 and RMB 4,934,311, respectively, from various local PRC government authorities. There are no defined rules and regulations to govern the criteria necessary for companies to receive such benefits, and the amount of financial subsidy are determined at the discretion of the relevant government authorities. Such amounts are recorded as other non-operating income when received.

aa. Statutory reserves

Based on the legal formation of the entities, appropriation of statutory reserves may be different. The Group’s PRC subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries, except for Home Inns Beijing and Hemei Hotel Management (Shanghai) Limited (“Hemei”), are required to set aside 10% of its net income as reported in its statutory accounts on an annual basis to the Statutory Surplus Reserve Fund. Once the total Statutory Surplus Reserve reaches 50% of the registered capital of the respective subsidiaries, further appropriations are discretionary. The Statutory Surplus Reserve can be used to increase the registered capital and eliminate future losses of the respective companies under PRC GAAP. The Group’s Statutory Surplus Reserve is not distributable to shareholders except in the event of liquidation. Before January 1, 2006, the above subsidiaries are also required on an annual basis to set aside at least 5% of after-tax profit, calculated in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations, to the Statutory Surplus Welfare Fund, which can be used for staff welfare of the Group. Effective from January 1, 2006, the appropriation to the Statutory Surplus Welfare Fund is no longer required.

Home Inns Beijing, a Sino-foreign enterprise, is required to set aside a portion of its net income as reported in its PRC statutory accounts on an annual basis to the Reserve Fund, Workers’ Bonus and Welfare Fund and Enterprise Expansion Fund. Such amounts shall be determined at the discretion of its board of directors. The Reserve Fund can be used to increase the registered capital upon approval by relevant government authorities and eliminate future losses of the respective companies upon a resolution by the board of directors.

Hemei, the Company’s subsidiary, as a wholly foreign owned enterprise, is required to set aside at least a 10% of its net income as reported in its PRC statutory accounts on an annual basis to the Reserve Fund. Once the total Reserve Fund reaches 50% of the registered capital of Hemei, further appropriations are discretionary. Hemei is also required to set aside a portion of its net income as reported in its PRC statutory accounts, at the discretion of its board of directors, on an annual basis to Workers’ Bonus and Welfare Fund.

Appropriations to the Workers’ Bonus and Welfare Fund are recognized as general and administrative expenses and charged to the consolidated statements of operations. During the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005, and 2006, no appropriations were made to the Workers’ Bonus and Welfare Fund.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Appropriations to the other statutory reserves are accounted for as a transfer from retained earnings to statutory reserves. During the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005, and 2006, the Group made total appropriations to these statutory reserves of RMB 3,323,064, RMB 8,036,956 and RMB 12,054,521, respectively.

There are no legal requirements in the PRC to fund these statutory reserves by transfer of cash to any restricted accounts, and the Group does not do so. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends.

ab. Dividends

Dividends are recognized when declared. The Company has not declared or paid any dividends.

The Company relies principally on dividends from its subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries in the PRC for its cash requirements. Current PRC regulations permit PRC companies to pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Additionally, the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries can only distribute dividends after they have met the PRC requirements for appropriation to statutory reserves (Note 2aa). Aggregate net assets of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries not distributable in the form of dividends to the parent as a result of the aforesaid PRC regulations was RMB 154,584,891 as of December 31, 2006.

ac. Earnings per share

In accordance with SFAS No. 128, “Computation of Earnings Per Share” (“SFAS No. 128”) and EITF No. 03-6, “Participating Securities and the Two-Class Method under FASB Statement No. 128” (“EITF No. 03-6”), basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the year using the two-class method. Under the two class method, net income is allocated between ordinary shares and other participating securities based on their respective participating rights. The Company’s Series A, B and C convertible preferred shares are participating securities. Diluted earnings per share is calculated by dividing net income attributable to ordinary shareholders as adjusted for the effect of dilutive ordinary equivalent shares, if any, by the weighted average number of ordinary and dilutive ordinary equivalent shares outstanding during the year. Ordinary equivalent shares consist of the ordinary shares issuable upon the conversion of the convertible preferred shares (using the if-converted method) and ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding share options (using the treasury stock method).

ad. Segment reporting

The Company follows SFAS No. 131, “Disclosures about Segment of an Enterprise and Related Information” for its segment reporting.

The Company operates and manages its business as a single segment. The Company primarily generates its revenues from customers in the PRC. Accordingly, no geographical segments are presented.

ae. Recent accounting pronouncements

In June 2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109” (“FIN 48”). This interpretation, among other things, creates a two step approach for evaluating uncertain tax positions. Recognition (step one) occurs when an enterprise concludes

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

that a tax position, based solely on its technical merits, is more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination. Measurement (step two) determines the amount of benefit that more-likely-than-not will be realized upon settlement. Derecognition of a tax position that was previously recognized would occur when a company subsequently determines that a tax position no longer meets the more-likely-than-not threshold of being sustained. FIN 48 specifically prohibits the use of a valuation allowance as a substitute for derecognition of tax positions, and it has expanded disclosure requirements. The provisions of FIN 48 is effective on January 1, 2007, with the cumulative effect of the change in accounting principle, if any, recorded as an adjustment to opening retained earnings. The Group is still in the process of assessment of the relevant impact from the adoption of FIN 48.

In September 2006, the SEC released Staff Accounting Bulletin No.108, “Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements” (“SAB No. 108”). SAB No. 108 provides interpretive guidance on the SEC’s views on how the effects of the carryover or reversal of prior year misstatements should be considered in quantifying a current year misstatement. The provision of SAB No. 108 is effective for the Group for the year ended December 31, 2006. The Company’s management does not believe the adoption of SAB No. 108 had a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“SFAS No. 157”), which clarifies the definition of fair value, establishes guidelines for measuring fair value, and expands disclosures regarding fair value measurements. SFAS No. 157 does not require any new fair value measurements and eliminates inconsistencies in guidance found in various prior accounting pronouncements. SFAS No. 157 will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2008. The Company’s management does not believe the adoption of SFAS No. 157 will have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans—an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106, and 132(R),” which requires plan sponsors of defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans (collectively, “Benefit Plans”) to recognize the funded status of their Benefit Plans in the consolidated balance sheet, measure the fair value of plan assets and benefit obligations as of the date of the fiscal year-end statement of financial position, and provide additional disclosures. The Company’s management does not believe the adoption of SFAS No. 158 will have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (“SFAS No. 159”) which permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value that are not currently required to be measured at fair value. SFAS No. 159 will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2008. The Company’s management does not believe the adoption of SFAS No. 159 will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

af. Certain risks and concentration

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Group to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and accounts receivable. As of December 31, 2005 and 2006, substantially all of the Company’s cash was held in major financial institutions located in the PRC, Hong Kong and the United States of America, which management considers to be of high credit quality. Accounts receivable are typically not collateralized and are denominated in RMB, and are derived from revenues earned from operations arising in the PRC. No individual customer accounted for more than 10% of net revenues for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006. No individual customer accounted for more than 10% of accounts receivable as of December 31, 2005 and 2006.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

3.    PREPAYMENTS AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS

Components of prepayments and other current assets as of December 31 are as follows:

 

     2005    2006

Prepaid expenses

   3,193,051    7,257,126

Rental and other deposits

   483,436    561,606

Other current assets

   1,807,593    2,710,892
         

Total

   5,484,080    10,529,624
         

4.    PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

The components of property and equipment are as follows:

 

     2005     2006  

Leasehold improvements

   223,086,518     390,111,963  

Machinery and equipment

   16,058,849     30,371,182  

Furniture, fixtures and office equipment

   51,937,688     87,971,890  

Construction in progress

   9,191,030     28,010,120  
            
   300,274,085     536,465,155  

Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization

   (32,598,509 )   (78,406,547 )
            

Property and equipment, net

   267,675,576     458,058,608  
            

Depreciation and amortization expenses incurred for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006 are RMB 5,767,391, RMB 23,481,563, and RMB 46,013,889 respectively.

Included in leasehold improvements and construction in progress and leasehold improvement is accumulated capitalized interest of RMB nil, RMB 264,659 and RMB 1,230,969 as of December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.

5.    INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Intangible assets as of December 31 are as follows:

 

     2005     2006  

Intangible assets —

    

Favorable lease agreements

   803,683     803,683  

Franchise agreements

   730,548     730,548  

Purchased software

   1,414,172     2,655,243  
            
   2,948,403     4,189,474  
            

Less: Accumulated amortization —

    

Favorable lease agreements

   (272,367 )   (444,387 )

Franchise agreements

   (89,857 )   (146,609 )

Purchased software

   (216,708 )   (576,683 )
            
   (578,932 )   (1,167,679 )
            

Intangible assets, net

   2,369,471     3,021,795  
            

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Franchise agreements and favorable leases agreements were acquired in the purchase of minority interests in Home Inns Beijing (Note 7). The values of favorable lease agreements were determined based on the estimated present value of the amount the company has avoided paying as a result of entering into the lease agreements. Franchise agreements were determined at the estimated present value of net cash flows expected to be received over the remaining terms of the franchise agreements. The value of favorable lease agreements is amortized using the straight-line method over the remaining lease term. The value of franchise agreements is amortized using the straight-line method over the remaining terms of the franchise agreements.

Amortization expense of intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006 amounted to RMB 199,249, RMB 363,936 and RMB 588,747 respectively.

The annual estimated amortization expense for the above intangible assets for the following years is as follows:

 

     Amortization

2007

   741,863

2008

   727,368

2009

   528,085

2010

   434,754

2011

   288,843

Thereafter

   300,882
    
   3,021,795
    

6.    INVESTMENTS IN AFFILIATED COMPANIES

Prior to April 8, 2004, Home Inns Beijing was an affiliated company accounted for under the equity method of accounting (Note 7). Home Inns Beijing was not consolidated as the minority shareholder had significant participating rights. The following tables summarize the consolidated income statement of Home Inns Beijing for the year ended December 31, 2004:

 

    

For the year
ended

December 31,
2004

Net revenues

   109,128,121

Operating income

   12,989,386

Net income

   7,735,352

7. ACQUISITION OF HOME INNS BEIJING

In April 2002, Home Inns HK entered into a joint venture agreement with Beijing Capital Travel, a subsidiary of BTG, to establish Home Inns Beijing. Home Inns HK contributed RMB 5,500,000 and Beijing Capital Travel contributed RMB 4,500,000 for 55.00% and 45.00% ownership in Home Inns Beijing, respectively. According to the joint venture agreement, Beijing Capital Travel had substantial rights to effectively participate in significant decisions that were expected to be made in the ordinary course of Home Inns Beijing’s business operations, including decisions regarding the annual budget and hiring of senior management.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

In accordance with EITF No. 96-16, Investor’s Accounting for an Investee When the Investor Has a Majority of Voting Interest but the Minority Shareholder or Shareholders Have Certain Approval or Veto Rights,” (“EITF No. 96-16”) the Group accounted for its 55.00% interest in Home Inn Beijing under the equity method of accounting, as prescribed by APB Opinion No. 18, “The Equity Method of Accounting for Investment in Common Stock (“APB No. 18”)”.

In April 2003, with the cash proceeds received from the issuance of Series A convertible preferred shares (Note 10), Home Inns HK and Beijing Capital Travel, a subsidiary of BTG, entered into a revised joint venture agreement and Home Inns HK purchased an additional 21% ownership interest in Home Inns Beijing through a capital contribution of RMB 28,945,000 to Home Inns Beijing and recognized goodwill of RMB 5,038,542.

In April 2004, Home Inns HK and Beijing Capital Travel entered into a second revised joint venture agreement, whereby Home Inns HK obtained control of Home Inns Beijing. From the date of this second revised joint venture agreement, Beijing Capital Travel no longer had substantive participating rights to block significant decisions proposed by Home Inns HK and accordingly, the results of Home Inns Beijing were consolidated. The second revised joint venture agreement also provided that Home Inns HK would increase its ownership interest by an additional 5.02% in Home Inns Beijing, through a capital contribution of RMB 30,000,000, subject to the completion of the share subscription agreement dated May 24, 2004 described below.

On May 24, 2004, Home Inns HK entered into an agreement with Poly Victory Investment Limited (“Poly Investment”), a wholly owned subsidiary of BTG, whereby Home Inns HK issued 13,219,140 ordinary shares to Poly Investment in return for HK$20,754,050 (RMB 22,050,540) in cash and 12.45% voting shares of Home Inns Beijing owned by BTG. The transaction was consummated on the same date and increased the ownership of Home Inns HK in Home Inns Beijing from 76.00% to 88.45%. Subsequently, on July 28, 2004, pursuant to the second revised joint venture agreement, Home Inns HK contributed RMB 30,000,000 to Home Inns Beijing, increasing its ownership interest from 88.45% to 93.47%.

The transactions to acquire the additional 17.47% interest in Home Inns Beijing in May and July 2004 were accounted for in accordance with SFAS No. 141, Business Combination” (“SFAS No. 141”). As the two transactions were contemplated as one transaction and the effect on purchase price allocation during the intervening period was not significant, the Company has accounted for the two transactions as one acquisition as of May 24, 2004. The cost of the acquisition of the 17.47% interest from 76.00% to 93.47% was RMB 37,053,205 based on the sum of (i) the estimated fair value of the 13,219,140 shares issued, less the HK$20,754,050 received from the May 24, 2004 share subscription agreement, and (ii) RMB 1,958,100, representing Beijing Capital Travel’s 6.53% share of the cash contributed by Home Inns HK to Home Inns Beijing as part of the July 28, 2004 capital contribution. The following table summarizes the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of acquisition:

Allocation of purchase price (in RMB):

 

Fair value of net tangible assets acquired

   7,919,895  

Intangible assets

   1,534,230  

Goodwill

   27,867,570  

Deferred tax liability, non-current

   (268,490 )
      

Total purchase price

   37,053,205  
      

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

The components of the intangible assets listed in the above table as of the acquisition date are as follows (in RMB):

 

Franchise agreements

   803,682

Favorable lease agreements

   730,548
    
   1,534,230
    

The following unaudited consolidated pro forma information presents information of the Group as if the acquisition occurred on January 1, 2004, assuming (i) the acquisition of 17.47% interest in Home Inns Beijing, and (ii) the consolidation of Home Inns Beijing as the minority shareholder no longer had substantive participating rights:

 

(in RMB)

   For the year ended
December 31, 2004
     (unaudited)

Net revenues

   109,128,121

Income from operations

   12,549,754

Net income

   6,820,117

Earnings per share:

  

Basic

   0.15

Diluted

   0.15

The unaudited pro forma financial information includes RMB 144,564 in 2004 for the amortization of identifiable intangible assets. The information presented above is for illustrative purposes only and does not purport to be indicative of results that would have been achieved if the acquisition had occurred as of January 1, 2004.

On February 21, 2005, the Company further increased its ownership in Home Inns Beijing from 93.47% to 95.59% through a cash contribution of RMB 33,055,000 into Home Inns Beijing. The impact of this acquisition was not significant to the Company’s consolidated financial position or result of operations.

8.    INCOME TAXES

Cayman Islands

Under the current laws of the Cayman Islands, the Company is not subject to tax on income or capital gain. In addition, upon payments of dividends by the Company to its shareholders, no Cayman Islands withholding tax will be imposed.

Hong Kong

Home Inns HK is subject to Hong Kong profit tax at a rate of 17.5% on its assessable profit. No Hong Kong profit tax has been provided as the Group does not have assessable profit that is earned in or derived from Hong Kong during the years presented.

PRC

The Company’s subsidiaries and its VIE subsidiaries incorporated in the PRC are subject to PRC Enterprise Income Tax (“EIT”) on the taxable income as reported in their respective statutory financial statements adjusted

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

in accordance with relevant PRC income tax laws. Normally, the applicable EIT rates of these entities, are 30% plus a local income tax of 3%. Effective on January 1, 2008, the applicable EIT rates will be reduced to 25% as disclosed in Note 16.

Four of the Group’s subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries enjoy a preferential income tax rate of 15%.

Certain subsidiaries of the Group were granted by local tax authorities a one-year to three-year EIT exemption on their taxable income, respectively, commencing from their establishment, which began in 2005 and 2006, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2006, total tax benefits recognized by these subsidiaries as a result of the tax exemption were RMB 4,227,738 and RMB 1,821,440, respectively.

Composition of income tax expense

The current and deferred portion of income tax expense (benefit) included in the consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31 is as follows:

 

     2004     2005     2006  

Current income tax expense

   8,618,772     16,453,611     38,736,179  

Deferred income tax benefit

   (2,880,887 )   (9,927,633 )   (17,345,568 )
                  

Income tax expense

   5,737,885     6,525,978     21,390,611  
                  

Reconciliation of the differences between statutory tax rate and the effective tax rate

A reconciliation between the statutory EIT rate and the Group’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31 is as follows:

 

     2004     2005     2006  

Statutory EIT rate

   33 %   33 %   33 %

Tax differential from statutory rate applicable to subsidiaries in the PRC

       (30 %)   (18 %)

Non-deductible expenses under tax laws

   29 %   17 %   14 %
                  

Effective EIT rate

   62 %   20 %   29 %
                  

The aggregate and per share effect of the tax exemptions available to the Group are as follows:

 

     2004    2005    2006

Aggregate effect

   —      4,227,738    1,821,440

Per share effect—basic

   —      0.084    0.034

Per share effect—diluted

   —      0.081    0.032
              

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities comprised:

 

     2005    2006

Deferred tax assets, current:

     

Tax loss carry forwards

   1,672,189    3,129,732

Deductible temporary differences related to pre-operating expenses

   444,886    1,220,353

Deductible temporary differences related to rental expenses

   371,393    129,383

Deductible temporary differences related to accruals for customer reward program

   —      905,311

Deductible temporary differences related to management fee of subsidiaries

   158,400    286,160
         
   2,646,868    5,670,939
         

Deferred tax assets, non-current:

     

Deductible temporary differences related to rental expenses

   9,713,855    16,813,502

Deductible temporary differences related to pre-operating expenses

   1,291,016    4,612,108

Deductible temporary differences related to deferred revenue

   1,108,774    4,275,789

Deductible temporary differences related to management fee of subsidiaries

   534,600    719,400
         
   12,648,245    26,420,799
         

Total deferred tax assets

   15,295,113    32,091,738
         

Deferred tax liabilities, current:

     

Taxable temporary differences related to recognition of personnel costs

   508,916    —  
         

Deferred tax liabilities, non-current:

     

Taxable temporary differences related to intangible assets

   205,101    165,074
         

Total deferred tax liabilities

   714,017    165,074
         

Deferred income tax assets are recognized for tax loss carry forwards to the extent that realization of the related tax benefit through future taxable profits is probable. The Group had tax losses of RMB 10,476,248 as of December 31, 2006 to be carried forward against future taxable income. No provision against the deferred tax assets has been made. These tax losses will expire on January 1, 2012.

9.    SHORT-TERM BORROWINGS

 

     2005    2006

Short-term bank loans

   20,000,000    124,000,000
         

Short-term bank loans bear interests at the rate ranging from 5.022% to 5.580% for 2006 (2005: 5.22%) per annum and are repayable in 2007.

10.    SHARE CAPITAL

As of December 31, 2005, the authorized share capital of the Company was US$1,000,000, divided into 177,075,114 ordinary shares, 17,241,400 Series A preferred shares, 2,417,645 Series B preferred shares, and 3,265,841 Series C preferred shares at par value of US$0.005 each.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Upon completion of the Company’s initial public offering on October 31, 2006, all of Series A, B and C preferred shares were automatically converted into ordinary shares. As a result, as of December 31, 2006, the authorized share capital of the Company was US$1,000,000, divided into 200,000,000 ordinary shares.

(a) Convertible preferred shares

On February 28, 2003, the Company entered into a Series A Preferred Share Subscription Agreement, whereby the Company authorized and issued 86,207 shares of the Company’s Series A convertible preferred shares at an issue price of US$46.40 per share. In April 2003, the number of Series A convertible preferred shares increased from 86,207 shares to 17,241,400 shares, and the par value decreased from US$1.00 each to US$0.005 each after a 200 for one share split.

On November 24, 2003, the Company entered into a Series B Preferred Share Subscription Agreement, whereby the Company authorized and issued 2,417,605 shares of the Company’s Series B convertible preferred shares at an issue price of US$0.3309 per share.

On January 24, 2005, the Company entered into a Series C Preferred Share Subscription Agreement, whereby the Company authorized and issued 3,265,841 shares of the Company’s Series C convertible preferred shares at an issue price of US$1.531 per share.

The rights, preferences and privileges with respect to the convertible preferred shares are as follows:

Voting

Holders of Series A, B and C convertible preferred shares have voting rights equal to the number of ordinary shares then issuable upon its conversion into ordinary shares. Each holder of Series A, B and C convertible preferred shares generally votes together with holders of the ordinary shares.

Dividends

Holders of Series A, B and C convertible preferred shares are entitled to receive out of any funds legally available therefore, only if and when declared by the Board of Directors of the Company, dividends at a fixed rate or in the amounts as the Board of Directors of the Company considers appropriate. There have been no dividends declared to date.

Liquidation

In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, either voluntary or involuntary, the holders of Series C and Series B convertible preferred shares shall be entitled to receive, prior and in preference to any distribution of any of the assets or surplus funds of the Company to the holders of Series A convertible preferred share and ordinary shares, by reason of their ownership thereof, the amount of two times the applicable original issue price per share for each Series C and Series B convertible preferred shares, plus declared and unpaid dividends. If the assets and funds distributed among the holders of the Series C and Series B convertible preferred shares are insufficient to permit the payment to such holders, then the entire assets and funds of the Group legally available for distribution shall be distributed ratably among the holders of Series C and Series B convertible preferred shares in proportion to the full preferential amount that each such holder is otherwise entitled to receive.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

After full payment has been made to the holders of Series C and Series B convertible preferred shares liquidation preference, the holders of the Series A convertible preferred shares shall be entitled to receive, prior and in preference to any distribution of any of the assets or surplus funds of the Company to the holders of the ordinary shares, by reason of their ownership thereof, the amount of two times the original issue price per share for each Series A convertible preferred share, plus all declared and unpaid dividends. If the assets and funds distributed among the holders of Series A convertible preferred shares are insufficient to permit the payment of the full preferential amount to such holders, then the remaining assets and funds of the Company legally available for distribution shall be distributed ratably among the holders of Series A convertible preferred shares in proportion to the number of the Series A convertible preferred shares.

After full payment has been made to the holders of Series A, B and C convertible preferred shares to which they are entitled, holders of ordinary shares shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets or surplus funds of the Company.

Conversion

Each of Series A, B and C convertible preferred share is convertible into ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis, at the option of the holder. Each share of Series A, B and C convertible preferred share automatically converts into ordinary shares at the then applicable conversion price (Series A: US$0.232; Series B: US$0.3309; Series C: US$1.531) upon (i) the closing of a firm commitment underwritten public offering of the ordinary shares at a per-share price of no less than three times the original issue price of Series A convertible preferred shares of US$0.232, or, (ii) the consent of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding preferred shares.

On October 31, 2006, upon completion of the Company’s initial public offering, Series A, B and C convertible preferred shares were automatically converted into a total of 22,924,886 ordinary shares.

(b) Ordinary shares

As of December 31, 2005, the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, authorized the Company to issue 177,075,114 shares of US$0.005 par value per ordinary share. Each ordinary share is entitled to one vote. The holders of ordinary shares are also entitled to receive dividends whenever funds are legally available and when declared by the Board of Directors, subject to prior rights of holders of all other classes of shares outstanding.

The Company issued 11,000,000 ordinary shares (adjusted to reflect share splits) to the founders and certain employees at the Company’s incorporation in 2002. In May 2004, the Company issued 13,219,140 ordinary shares to Poly Investment as part of its share subscription plan and acquisition of 12.45% of Home Inns Beijing (Note 7). In September 2004, the Company issued an additional 145,000 ordinary shares to Poly Investment at par value. Fair value of the Company’s ordinary shares as of September 2004 was US$0.7589 per share. This ordinary share issuance to Poly Investment was accounted for as a distribution to a shareholder and the difference between fair value and par value of the ordinary shares issued was charged to retained earnings. In addition, in September 2004, the Company issued 3,035,000 ordinary shares to Top Sterling International Ltd., a principal shareholder of the Company, for RMB 8,614,503, or US$0.3425 per ordinary share, pursuant to a financing arrangement agreed amongst the shareholders and the Company’s board of directors in October 2003. The issuance price per ordinary share of US$0.3425 approximates the fair value of the Company’s ordinary shares as of the date the arrangement was agreed.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

In July 2006, the Company issued 2,834,037 ordinary shares in a private placement to certain individuals including certain executives and directors of the Company, for RMB 62,918,287 or US$2.77 per share, pursuant to a financing arrangement agreed amongst the shareholders and the Company’s board of directors in July 2006. The issuance price per ordinary share of US$2.77 was lower than the fair value of the Company’s ordinary shares as of the date of the agreement and the difference of RMB 9,564,136 was recognized as share-based compensation expenses.

On October 31, 2006, upon the completion of the initial public offering, the Company issued 5,874,237 ADSs, which was priced at US$13.8 per ADS. Each ADS represents two ordinary shares. Total proceeds, net of issuance costs paid and payable from the offering, amounted to RMB 581,251,474. Upon completion of the Company’s initial public offering, all Series A, B and C convertible preferred shares were automatically converted into 22,924,886 ordinary shares. The Company’s authorized shares became 200,000,000 shares of US$0.005 par value per ordinary share.

11.    SHARE BASED COMPENSATION

On February 28, 2003, the Company adopted a share option plan (“2003 Option Plan”) under which the directors of the Company may, at their discretion, grant options to acquire ordinary shares to any senior executives (including directors) and employees of the Company and/or its subsidiaries. Share options vest annually over a period of 4 years and once vested can be exercised within 5 years from the date of grant. The 2003 Option Plan provides for the issuance of options of the Company’s ordinary shares in the amount of up to 5% of total ordinary and preferred shares outstanding. On May 30, 2005, the Company adopted a board resolution to increase shares reserved under the share option plan to 6% of total ordinary and preferred shares outstanding. At the end of 2005, this represents 3,019,442 options based on the then outstanding ordinary and preferred shares outstanding. On March 30, 2006, the Company adopted a shareholders resolution to increase shares reserved for the share options plan to 9% of total ordinary and preferred shares outstanding. At the end of 2006, this represented 4,784,226 options based on the then outstanding ordinary shares, which have been fully issued.

In July 2006, due to early vesting and early exercise of 520,412 options issued to two former senior managers, the Company recognized share-based compensation expenses of RMB 3,314,800 based on the incremental fair value of these vested options.

In July 2006, the Company also issued 1,020,000 shares of restricted stocks to certain current senior managers to replace the option awards previously granted under the 2003 Option Plan. The restricted stocks were exercisable immediately upon issuance. However, the vesting and other requirements imposed on these restricted stocks were identical to the terms under the original option awards, and therefore, the modification did not result in any incremental compensation cost. At December 31, 2006, there was approximately RMB 3,441,466 in deferred compensation costs related to restricted stocks. Share-based compensation expense associated with restricted stocks was RMB 583,520 in 2006. The weighted average remaining contractual life was 3.5 years for restricted stock grants outstanding at December 31, 2006. Cash received from exercise of restricted stocks amounted to RMB 6,746,592 at December 31, 2006, and was recorded as payables due to related parties.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Changes in the restricted stock grants in 2006 were as follows:

 

     Number of
Restricted
Stocks
    Weighted
Average
Grant-Date
Fair Value

Outstanding at the beginning of the year

   —       —  

Granted

   1,020,000     1.4171

Vested

   (285,890 )   0.5619

Forfeited

   —       —  
          

Outstanding and unvested at the end of the year

   734,110     1.7501
          

On October 2, 2006, the Company adopted a share incentive plan (“2006 Share Incentive Plan”) under which the directors of the Company may, at their discretion, grant awards to employees, directors and consultants of our company or any of our related entities, which include our subsidiaries or any entities in which we hold a substantial ownership interest. Such awards include 1) share options; 2) restricted shares, which represent non-transferable ordinary shares, that may be subject to forfeiture; 3) restricted share units, which represent the right to receive the Company’s ordinary shares at a specified date in the future, which may be subject to forfeiture; 4) share appreciation rights, which provide for payment to the grantee based upon increases in the price of our ordinary shares over a set base price; and 5) dividend equivalent rights, which represent the value of the dividends per share that the Company pay. The term of an award shall not exceed 10 years from the date of the grant, except that 10 years is the maximum term of share option granted. The term of each award will be stated in the award agreement. The number of ordinary shares that may be issued under the 2006 Share Incentive Plan is up to 6% of the total outstanding ordinary shares (excluding ordinary shares issued upon exercise of awards pursuant to the 2003 Option Plan and 2006 Share Incentive Plan) from time to time. As of December 31, 2006, this represented 3,894,392 options. The 2006 Share Incentive Plan will expire in 2016. The characteristics of the awards granted during 2006 under this plan are similar to the awards granted under the 2003 Option Plan.

The following summarizes the Company’s share option activity under the 2003 Option Plan and 2006 Share Incentive Plan as of and for the year ended December 31, 2006:

 

     Options     Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price (US$)
  

Weighted-
average

remaining

contractual

life (years)

  

Aggregate

Intrinsic Value

(US$ millions)

Outstanding at the beginning of the year

   2,831,886     US$  0.7830      

Granted

   1,927,000     US$  4.6871      

Exercised

   (520,412 )   US$ 0.4521      

Forfeited

   (19,588 )   US$ 1.7353      

Cancelled

   (1,020,000 )   US$ 1.0149      
                        

Outstanding at the end of the year

   3,198,886     US$ 3.1092    3.7    US$  50.1
                        

Vested and exercisable at the end of the year

   1,019,826     US$ 1.1192    2.9    US$ 18.0
                        

The aggregate intrinsic value represents the total intrinsic value based on the Company’s closing stock price of US$ 18.77 per share as of December 31, 2006.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

The following is information relating to options outstanding as of December 31, 2006:

 

Exercise price

   Weighted-
average grant
date fair
value of
ordinary
shares
   Outstanding    Exercisable
      Number of
shares
  

Weighted-
average

remaining

contractual

life (years)

   Number of
shares
  

Weighted-
average

remaining

contractual

life (years)

US$ 0.232

   US$  0.2320    142,972    1.16    137,456    1.16

US$ 0.3309

   US$ 0.5701    910,262    2.62    544,464    2.58

US$ 1.531

   US$ 1.3327    180,000    3.52    66,667    3.51

US$ 2.25

   US$ 1.9730    338,652    3.92    91,719    3.92

US$ 2.72

   US$ 2.720    510,000    4.21    100,583    4.21

US$ 3.20

   US$ 3.200    302,000    4.51    37,750    4.51

US$ 5.50

   US$ 5.500    659,000    4.75    41,187    4.75

US$ 16.64

   US$ 16.64    156,000    5.00    —      —  
                  
      3,198,886       1,019,826   
                  

In connection with the share options granted during the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the Company recognized share-based compensation expense of RMB 149,705, RMB 959,826 and RMB 2,832,868, respectively. As of December 31, 2006, there was RMB 20,799,839 of unrecognized share-based compensation cost related to unvested share options which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 3.12 years.

The Company calculated the estimated fair value of share options on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes pricing model with the following assumptions:

 

     2004    2005    2006

Risk-free interest rate

   2.262% to 3.667%    2.51% to 4.788%    4.983% to 5.204%

Expected life (years)

   3 to 4.5    3 to 4.5    3 to 4.5

Expected dividend yield

   —      —      —  

Expected Volatility

   —      —      28.6% to 34.3%

(1) The risk-free interest rate is based on the US Treasury yield for a term consistent with the expected life of the awards in effect at the time of grant.
(2) The expected life of share options granted under the 2003 Option Plan and the 2006 Share Incentive Plan is generally based on the average between the vesting period and the contractual term for each grant.
(3) The Company has no history or expectation of paying dividends on its ordinary share.
(4) For the year ended December 31, 2006, the Company estimates the volatility of its ordinary shares at the date of grant based on the historical volatility and implied volatility of comparable companies for a period equal to time from the grant date to the assumed exercised date of the respective options in accordance with the vesting schedule.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

12.    OTHER PAYABLES AND ACCRUALS

 

     December 31,
2005
   December 31,
2006

Accrued expenses

   5,632,397    21,271,480

Payables to minority shareholders

   4,005,000    1,356,645

Payables on construction costs of leasehold improvements

   48,091,737    72,127,148

Others

   7,380,477    11,364,566
         

Total

   65,109,611    106,119,839
         

13.    RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Related Party Transactions

 

Name of related parties

  

Relationships with the Company

Top Sterling International Limited

  

Former principal shareholder of the Company

Poly Investment

  

Principal shareholder of the Company

BTG

  

Parent company of Poly Investments

Ctrip.com International, Ltd.

  

Common directors

Jian Guo Inns Beijing Ltd. (“Jian Guo Inns”)

  

Subsidiary of BTG

Ji Qi

  

Former director of the Company

Sun Jian

  

Director of the Company

May Wu

  

Senior management of the Company

Liang Rixin

  

Senior management of the Company

Other than the acquisition of minority interests in Home Inns Beijing from BTG disclosed in Note 7, related party transactions during the years ended December 31 are as follows:

 

     2004    2005    2006

Sales commissions paid to Ctrip.com International, Ltd.

   190,460    2,381,554    5,996,578

Rental fees paid to Jian Guo Inns

   2,625,000    3,500,000    3,500,000

Other income from Ctrip.com International, Ltd.

   36,000    136,000    18,000

Long-term loan obtained from BTG

   —      40,000,000    20,000,000

As of December 31, significant balances with related parties are as follows:

Due from related parties:

 

     2005    2006

Top Sterling International Limited

   15,729    —  

Sun Jian (a)

   —      83,453

Liang Rixin (a)

   —      114,335
         
   15,729    197,788
         

(a) The amounts due from Sun Jian and Liang Rixin arose from their individual income tax withheld by the Company in connection with the issuance of restricted stocks in July 2006 (Note 11). These amounts were subsequently collected from Sun Jian and Liang Rixin in March 2007.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Due to related parties:

 

     2005    2006

Ji Qi

   641,509    —  

Ctrip.com International, Ltd.

   617,900    508,331

Top Sterling International Limited

   —      129,677

Jian Guo Inns

   —      5,390

Sun Jian (b)

   —      1,961,490

Liang Rixin (b)

   —      1,200,908

May Wu (b)

   —      3,584,194
         
   1,259,409    7,389,990
         

(b) The amounts due to Sun Jian, Liang Rixin and May Wu represented the consideration paid by them for restricted shares with repurchase feature in July 2006 (Note 11(b)).

 

     2005    2006

Current portion of long-term loan from BTG (c)

   —      10,000,000

Long-term loan from BTG (c)

   40,000,000    50,000,000
         
   40,000,000    60,000,000
         

(c) In June 2005, Home Inns Beijing and the Company entered into a financing transaction agreement to obtain financing from BTG. By this agreement, BTG agreed to extend a loan facility to Home Inns Beijing in an amount of RMB 80,000,000 for hotel development and operations. Each loan drawn down under the facility is repayable after 3 years and bears an interest rate at 6.1747%. According to the financing transaction agreement, if Home Inns Beijing defaults, and the parties of the agreement fail to reach consensus on an extension of the loan agreement, BTG can choose one of three options: 1) request liquidation of Home Inns Beijing or the Company and obtain repayment via legal proceedings; 2) if the net assets of the Company on such date exceed those on the agreement date, BTG may convert the loan principal amount into 11.15% of equity shares in the Company; or 3) if the net assets of Home Inns Beijing exceed RMB 663,477,155, BTG may convert the outstanding loan principal amount into a percentage of equity shares in Home Inns Beijing determined by dividing the outstanding loan principal amount by RMB 663,477,155. On March 28, 2007, the long-term loan was fully repaid in advance.

The amounts due from and due to related parties as of December 31, 2005 and 2006 mainly arose from the above transactions and payments made by the Company and related parties on behalf of each other. Except for the long-term loan from BTG, these amounts are not collateralized, free of interest and receivable or payable on demand.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

14.    EARNINGS PER SHARE

Basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share have been calculated in accordance with SFAS No. 128 as follows:

 

     2004     2005     2006  

Numerator:

      

Net income for the year

   5,969,326     20,932,672     46,894,358  

Amount allocated to participating preference shareholders

   (2,960,390 )   (9,486,945 )   (16,173,962 )
                  

Net income available to ordinary shareholders

   3,008,936     11,445,727     30,720,396  
                  

Effect of dilutive securities

   —       —       —    

Numerator for diluted earnings per share

   3,008,936     11,445,727     30,720,396  
                  

Denominator:

      

Denominator for basic earnings per share—weighted average ordinary shares outstanding

   19,981,424     27,399,140     35,550,114  

Dilutive effect of share options

   334,257     1,314,048     1,980,218  
                  

Denominator for diluted earnings per share

   20,315,681     28,713,188     37,530,332  
                  

Basic earnings per share

   0.15     0.42     0.86  
                  

Diluted earnings per share

   0.15     0.40     0.82  
                  

Net income for the year has been allocated to the common share and preference share based on their respective rights to share in dividends.

15.    COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

(a) Capital commitments

As of December 31, 2006, the Group’s commitments related to leasehold improvements, installation of machinery and equipment for the hotel operations amounting to RMB 136,496,945.

(b) Commitments under operating leases

The Group has entered into lease agreements relating to leased-and-operated hotels that are classified as operating leases.

Future minimum lease payments for non-cancelable operating leases at December 31 are as follows:

 

     Related-party    Non-related party    Total
     RMB    RMB    RMB

2007

   3,500,000    165,849,314    169,349,314

2008

   3,500,000    175,226,393    178,726,393

2009

   3,500,000    176,919,458    180,419,458

2010

   3,500,000    178,749,158    182,249,158

2011

   3,500,000    180,832,552    184,332,552

Thereafter

   23,291,667    1,436,183,773    1,459,475,440
              

Total

   40,791,667    2,313,760,648    2,354,552,315
              

Rental expenses amounted to RMB 25,230,507, RMB 75,166,291 and RMB 129,533,864 during the years ended December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

(c) Contingencies

As of December 31, 2006, the Group had no significant outstanding contingency.

16.    SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

On March 16, 2007, the PRC National People’s Congress passed the China Corporate Income Tax Law which will change the income tax rates for most enterprises from 33% at the present to 25%. This new law will become effective on January 1, 2008. There will be a transition period for enterprises, whether foreign-invested or domestic, which currently receive preferential tax treatments granted by relevant tax authorities. Enterprises that are subject to an enterprise income tax rate lower than 25% may continue to enjoy the lower rate and gradually transfer to the new tax rate within five years after the effective date of the new law. Enterprises that are currently entitled to exemptions or reductions from the standard income tax rate for a fixed term may continue to enjoy such treatment until the fixed term expires. Preferential tax treatments will continue to be granted to industries and projects that are strongly supported and encouraged by the state, and enterprises otherwise classified as “new and high technology enterprises strongly supported by the state” will be entitled to a 15% enterprise income tax rate. The new law expects to lower the Group’s effective tax rates. As disclosed in Note 2(y), deferred tax assets and liabilities shall be measured using enacted income tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The changes in tax rates will have impact on the carrying value of the Group’s deferred tax assets and liabilities. The Group will make an assessment of the effects of the changes when the detailed implementation guides become available.

 

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LOGO

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the board of directors and shareholders of

Home Inns & Hotels Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd.:

In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated balance sheet and the related consolidated statement of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flow expressed in Renminbi present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Home Inns & Hotels Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (the “Company”) and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2004, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit of these statements in accordance with the standards of Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statements presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company

Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

July 12, 2006.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004

 

     Note     2004  
           RMB  

Revenues:

    

Leased-and-operated hotels

     112,913,545  

Franchised-and-managed hotels

     2,364,266  
        

Total revenues

     115,277,811  

Less: Business tax and related surcharges

     (6,149,690 )
        

Net revenues

     109,128,121  
        

Operating costs and expenses:

    

Leased-and-operated hotel costs—

    

Rents and utilities

     (36,462,914 )

Personnel costs

     (15,652,561 )

Consumables, food and beverage

     (8,149,037 )

Depreciation and amortization

     (6,685,122 )

Others

     (10,018,827 )
        

Total leased-and-operated hotel costs

     (76,968,461 )

Sales and marketing expenses

     (2,562,776 )

General and administrative expenses

     (16,607,498 )
        

Total operating costs and expenses

     (96,138,735 )
        

Income from operations

     12,989,386  
        

Interest income

     109,852  

Interest expense

     (124,785 )

Other non-operating income

   2 (w)   327,268  
        

Income before income tax expense and minority interests

     13,301,721  
        

Income tax expense

   6     (6,860,523 )

Minority interests

     1,294,154  
        

Net income

     7,735,352  
        

Share-based compensation expense was included in the statement of operations as follows:

    

Leased-and-operated hotel costs—Personnel costs

     8,332  

General and administrative expenses

     141,373  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2004

 

     Note     2004
           RMB

ASSETS

    

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

     16,710,169

Accounts receivable

     1,210,299

Receivables from related parties

   9     155,440

Consumables

     1,856,731

Prepayments and other current assets

   3     4,722,378

Deferred tax assets, current

   6     176,466
      

Total current assets

     24,831,483
      

Property and equipment, net

   4     99,169,661

Intangible assets, net

   5     314,342

Other assets

     1,256,429

Deferred tax assets, non-current

   6     4,989,720
      

Total assets

     130,561,635
      

LIABILITIES

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable

     1,998,400

Payables to related parties

   9     686,172

Salaries and welfare payable

     5,259,735

Income tax payable

     3,769,592

Other taxes payable

     728,530

Deferred revenues

     553,820

Accruals for customer reward program

   2 (m)   68,275

Other payables and accruals

   8     26,567,801

Deferred tax liabilities, current

   6     267,587
      

Total current liabilities

     39,899,912
      

Deferred rental

     11,890,081
      

Total liabilities

     51,789,993
      

Minority interest

     425,846

Commitments and contingencies

   10    

Shareholders’ equity

    

Paid-in capital

   7     68,945,000

Additional paid-in capital

     149,705

Statutory reserves

     4,008,752

Retained earnings

     5,242,339
      

Total shareholders’ equity

     78,345,796
      

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

     130,561,635
      

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004

 

     Paid-in
capital
   Additional
paid-in
capital
   Statutory
reserves
   Retained earnings
(accumulated
deficit)
    Total
shareholders’
equity

Balance as of January 1, 2004

   38,945,000    —      453,646    1,062,093     40,460,739
                         

Addition in paid-in capital

   30,000,000    —      —      —       30,000,000

Net income

   —      —      —      7,735,352     7,735,352

Recognition of share-based compensation expense (Note 9(a))

   —      149,705    —      —       149,705

Appropriations to statutory reserves

   —      —      3,555,106    (3,555,106 )   —  
                         

Balance as of December 31, 2004

   68,945,000    149,705    4,008,752    5,242,339     78,345,796
                         

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004

 

     2004  
     RMB  

Cash flows from operating activities:

  

Net income

   7,735,352  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

  

Share-based compensation expense

   149,705  

Depreciation and amortization expenses

   6,983,216  

Minority interests

   (1,294,154 )

Deferred income tax

   (3,127,073 )

Change in assets and liabilities:

  

Decrease (increase) in accounts receivable

   (1,032,215 )

Increase in receivables from related parties

   (5,440 )

Increase in consumables

   (1,028,145 )

Decrease (increase) in prepayments and other current assets

   (3,605,938 )

Increase in other assets

   (566,429 )

Increase in accounts payable

   342,319  

Increase (decrease) in payables to related parties

   (296,793 )

Increase in salaries and welfare payable

   3,890,034  

Increase in income tax payable

   2,677,112  

Increase in other taxes payable

   184,297  

Increase in accruals for customer reward program

   68,275  

(Decrease) increase in other payables and accruals

   15,717,302  

(Decrease) increase in deferred revenue

   329,607  

Increase in deferred rental

   9,208,800  
      

Net cash provided by operating activities

   36,329,832  
      

Cash flows from investing activities:

  

Purchase of property and equipment

   (67,406,198 )

Purchase of intangible assets

   (216,718 )
      

Net cash used in investing activities

   (67,622,916 )
      

Cash flows from financing activities:

  

Proceeds from additions of paid-in capital

   30,000,000  

Capital contribution from minority shareholders

   1,720,000  
      

Net cash provided by financing activities

   31,720,000  
      

Net increase in cash

   426,916  

Cash, beginning of year

   16,283,253  
      

Cash, end of year

   16,710,169  
      

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:

  

Cash paid during the year for income taxes

   (7,310,484 )

Cash paid during the year for interest

   (124,785 )

Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:

  

Increase in payables on construction costs of leasehold improvements

   2,877,508  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

1.    ORGANIZATION AND NATURE OF OPERATIONS

Home Inns & Hotels Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (the Company), a hotel operation and management company, was established on April 12, 2002 as a joint venture of Home Inns & Hotels Management (Hong Kong) Limited (“Home Inns HK”) and Beijing Capital Travel International Hotel Group Co., Ltd. (“Beijing Capital Travel”), a subsidiary of Beijing Tourism Group (“BTG”). Upon inception of the Company, Home Inns HK and BTG owned 55% and 45% interest in the Company, respectively. Through a series of financing activities and acquisitions, Home Inns HK’s ownership in the Company increased to 95.59% as of February 1, 2005. The Company conducts its hotel operation and management business through directly leased-and-operated, or franchised-and-managed hotels, and through its subsidiaries and majority owned joint venture companies.

The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company, its subsidiaries, and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which the Company is the primary beneficiary (“VIE subsidiary”). The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries are collectively referred to as the “Group”.

The principal activities of the Group are to develop, lease, operate, franchise, and manage economy hotels under the Home Inn brand in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”). The Group either leases real estate properties on which it develops and operates hotels or franchises the Home Inn brand to hotel owners and manages these hotels. The former type of hotels is referred to as “leased-and-operated hotels” and the latter type of hotels as “franchised-and-managed hotels.”

Lease-and-operated hotels

The Group leases hotel properties from property owners and is responsible for all aspects of hotel operations and management, including hiring, training and supervising the managers and employees required to operate the hotels. In addition, the Group is responsible for hotel development and customization to conform to the standards at the beginning of the lease, as well as repairs and maintenance, operating expenses and management of properties over the term of the lease. Under the lease arrangements, the Group typically pays fixed rent on a quarterly basis for the first three or five years of the lease term, after which the rental payments may be subject to an increase every three to five years.

The Group had 18 leased-and-operated hotels in operation as of December 31, 2004.

Franchised-and-managed hotels

The Group enters into certain franchise arrangements with property owners for which the Group is responsible for managing the hotels, including hiring and appointment of the general manager of each franchised-and-managed hotel. Under a typical franchise agreement, the franchisee is required to pay an initial franchise fee and ongoing management service fees equal to a certain percentage of the revenues of the hotel. The franchisee is responsible for the costs of hotel development and customization and the costs of its operations. The term of the franchise agreement is typically 5 years and is renewable only upon mutual agreement between the Group and the franchisee.

The Group had 8 franchised-and-managed hotels in operation as of December 31, 2004.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

2.    PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements are set out below:

a. Basis of presentation and use of estimates

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

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the balance sheet dates and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.

b. Basis of consolidation and accounting for investments

The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company, its subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries.

The Group applies the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Interpretation No. 46 (Revised 2003), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51” (“FIN 46(R)”) to account for certain entities in which equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support.

Under FIN 46(R), a company consolidates a VIE if that company has a variable interest that will absorb a majority of the expected losses, receives a majority of the entity’s expected residual returns, or both. The company that absorbs a majority of the VIE’s expected losses and receives a majority of the VIE’s expected residual returns is the primary beneficiary.

The Group is the primary beneficiary of four variable interest entities, Home Inns & Hotels Management (Xiamen) Co., Ltd (“Home Inns Xiamen”), Home Inns & Hotels Management (Fuzhou) Co., Ltd (“Home Inns Fuzhou”), Home Inns & Hotels Management (Caoxi) Co., Ltd (“Home Inns Caoxi”), and Home Inns & Hotels Management (Caobao) Co., Ltd (“Home Inns Caobao”), of which the principal activity generally relates to hotel management. The total registered capital of the four VIEs was RMB 4,000,000 as of December 31, 2004. The entities were considered variable interest entities because the equity at risk of each entity was not sufficient to finance its intended activities without additional financial support. The Company has 51% ownership interest in Home Inns Xiamen, Home Inns Fuzhou and Home Inns Caoxi and 75% ownership interest in Home Inns Caobao, and the Company is considered the primary beneficiary of these entities because it absorbs a majority of the entities’ expected losses and receives a majority of the entities’ expected residual returns. As a result, the operations of the VIEs are included in the consolidated financial statements since their incorporation in 2004.

The entities that operate the franchised-and-managed hotels (Note 1) are considered variable interest entities as the franchisees do not have the ability to make decisions that have a significant impact on the success of the franchise arrangement. However, as the franchisees provide all necessary capital to finance the operation of the franchised hotels and absorb a majority of any expected losses, the Group is not considered the primary beneficiary of those entities.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Subsidiaries are those consolidated entities in which the Company directly or indirectly controls more than one half of the voting power; has the power to govern the financial and operating policies; to appoint or remove the majority of the members of the board of directors; to cast majority of votes at the meetings of the board of directors; or to govern the financial and operating policies of the investee under a statue or agreement among the shareholders or equity holders.

All inter-company transactions and balances within the Group are eliminated on consolidation. Minority interests represent the interests of outside minority shareholders in the operating results and net assets of certain consolidated subsidiaries.

c. Foreign currencies

The Group’s functional currency is Renminbi (“RMB”). Transactions denominated in currencies other than RMB are translated into RMB at the exchange rates quoted by the People’s Bank of China (the “PBOC”) prevailing at the dates of the transactions. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are included in the consolidated statements of income. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into RMB using the applicable exchange rates quoted by the PBOC at the balance sheet dates. All such exchange gains and losses are included in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of income.

d. Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents are carried in the balance sheet at cost, which approximates fair value. Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and demand deposits placed with banks or other financial institutions. Cash balance as of December 31, 2004 consists of RMB 16,082,896 and US$ 75,790.

e. Restricted cash

Restricted cash primarily consists of deposits held in escrow.

f. Accounts receivable

Provision is made against accounts receivable to the extent collection is considered to be doubtful with accounts receivable in the balance sheet stated net of such provision, if any. As of December 31, 2004, the Group has not recorded any allowance for doubtful accounts.

g. Consumables

The Group has purchased consumables mainly for the operation of leased-and-operated hotels. Consumables are amortized over their useful lives, generally one year or less, from the time they are put into use, and they are stated at purchase price less accumulated amortization.

h. Property and equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization and impairment losses, if any. The cost of property and equipment comprises its purchase price and any directly attributable costs, including interest cost capitalized in accordance with SFAS No. 34, “Capitalization of Interest Costs” (“SFAS No. 34”), during the period the asset is brought to its working condition and location for its intended use.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment is provided using the straight line method over their expected useful lives. The expected useful lives are as follows:

 

Leasehold improvements

   Over the shorter of the economic useful life or the lease period

Machinery and equipment

Furniture, fixtures and office equipment

  

5 to 10 years

3 to 5 years

Construction in progress represents leasehold improvements under construction or being installed and is stated at cost. Cost comprises original cost of property and equipment, installation, construction and other direct costs. Construction in progress is transferred to leasehold improvements and amortization commences when the asset is ready for its intended use.

Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Gain or loss on disposal of property and equipment, if any, is recognized in the consolidated statement of operation as the difference between the net sales proceeds and the carrying amount of the underlying asset.

i. Intangible assets

Intangible assets consist of purchased software, which is stated at cost less accumulated amortization and impairment, if any.

j. Impairment of long-lived assets and intangible assets

Long-lived assets and definite-lived intangible assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable in accordance with SFAS No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-lived Assets” (“SFAS No. 144”). If the total of the expected future undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying value, an indication of impairment is present and a loss is recognized in the statements of operations for the difference between the fair value, using the expected future discounted cash flows, and the carrying value of the assets. No impairment was recognized for the years ended December 31, 2004.

k. Financial instruments

Financial instruments of the Group primarily comprise of cash, accounts receivable, related party receivables and payables, accounts payable, other payables and a long-term loan from a related party. As of December 31, 2004, the carrying values of financial instruments approximated their fair values.

l. Employee benefits

The full-time employees of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries are entitled to staff welfare benefits including medical care, housing fund, unemployment insurance and pension benefits. These entities are required to accrue for these benefits based on certain percentages of the employees’ salaries, subject to certain ceilings, in accordance with the relevant PRC regulations and make contributions to the state-sponsored plans out of the amounts accrued. Amounts accrued and included in salaries and welfare payables in the accompanying balance sheets were RMB 251,501 for the year ended December 31, 2004.

m. Accruals for customer reward program

The Group invites its customers to participate in a customer reward program. Prior to November 14, 2004, membership was free of charge. A one-time membership fee was charged after that date for new members.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Members enjoy discounts on room rates, priority in hotel reservation, and accumulate membership points for their paid stays, which can be redeemed for membership upgrades, room night awards and other gifts. The estimated incremental costs to provide membership upgrades, room night awards and other gifts are accrued and recorded as accruals for customer reward program as members accumulate points and recognized as sales and marketing expense in the accompanying the statements of operations. As members redeem awards or their entitlements expire, the provision is reduced correspondingly. As of December 31, 2004, the Company made accruals of RMB 68,275 based on the estimated liabilities under the customer reward program.

n. Deferred Revenue

Deferred revenue generally consists of advances received from customers for room stays, initial franchise fees paid prior to the Group fulfilling its commitments to the franchisee, and cash received from sale of membership programs.

o. Revenue recognition

Revenues from leased-and-operated hotels represent primarily room rentals and food and beverage sales from the leased-and-operated hotels. Such revenues are recognized when goods and services are delivered.

Revenues from franchised-and-managed hotels are derived from franchise agreements where the franchisees are required to pay (i) an initial one-time franchise fee and (ii) on-going management and service fees based on a percentage of revenue, which approximate 5% to 6% of the room revenues of the franchised hotels. The one-time franchise fee is recognized when the franchised hotel opens for business, the fee becomes non-refundable, and the Group has fulfilled all its commitments and obligations, including the assistance to the franchisees in property design, leasehold improvement construction project management, systems installation, personnel recruiting and training. On-going management and service fees are recognized when the underlying service revenue is recognized by the franchisees’ operations. Other revenues generated from franchise agreements include system maintenance and support fee and central reservation system (“CRS”) usage fee, which are recognized when services are provided.

Given the limited history in operating the Group’s customer reward program (Note 2(m)), all one-time membership fees are recognized as deferred revenue when received. Revenues from the one-time membership fees will be recognized when the customers are no longer entitled to the benefits of the membership card, which occurs upon lack of activity over 2 years, or over the estimate average customer relationship period once upon the Company being able to reliably estimate such period.

p. Business tax and related surcharges

The Group is subject to business tax and related surcharges on the services provided in the PRC. Such tax is levied based on turnover at an applicable rate of approximately 5.5% and is recorded as a reduction of revenues.

q. Leased-and-operated hotel costs

Leased-and-operated hotel costs include all direct costs incurred in the operation of the leased-and-operated hotels and consist primarily of property rentals and related expenses, utility costs, personnel compensation, amortization of guest room consumables, amortization of leasehold improvements, depreciation of equipment, cost of consumables, food and beverage.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

r. Sales and marketing

Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of advertising related expenses, expenses associated with the Company’s membership reward program and payroll and related compensation for the Group’s sales and marketing personnel. Advertising related expenses, include promotion expenses and production costs of marketing materials are charged to statement of operations as incurred, and amounted to RMB 1,577,414 for the year ended December 31, 2004.

s. Share-based compensation

The Company accounts for share-based compensation arrangements in accordance with Accounting Principles Board (“APB”) Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees” (“APB No. 25”), and complies with the disclosure provisions of SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation” (“SFAS No. 123”). Share options granted to employees by the principal shareholder, Home Inns HK, are accounted for as share-based compensation in accordance with APB No. 25. In general, compensation cost under APB No. 25 is recognized based on the difference, if any, between the estimated fair value of the ordinary shares and the amount an employee is required to pay to acquire the ordinary shares, as determined on the date the option is granted.

The following table illustrates the effect on net income if the Company had applied the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123 in all years presented.

 

     2004  

Net income

   7,735,352  

Add: Compensation expense under APB No. 25

   149,705  

Less: Compensation expense under SFAS No. 123

   (164,115 )
      

Pro forma net income

   7,720,942  
      

t. Operating leases

Leases where substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership of assets remain with the lesser are accounted for as operating leases. Payments made under operating leases net of any incentives received from the lesser are charged to the consolidated statements of income on a straight-line basis over the terms of the underlying lease.

u. Pre-operating expenditure

Pre-operating expenditure represents start-up costs, other than amounts capitalized as leasehold improvements, for leased-and-operated hotels and is recognized as general and administrative expense and is charged to the consolidated statement of operation in the period in which it is incurred.

v. Taxation

Income tax expenses are recorded using the liability method. Deferred tax assets or liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax effects attributable to temporary differences and tax losses carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted income tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized in statement of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce the amount of deferred tax assets if it is considered more likely than not that such assets will not be realized.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

w. Other non-operating income

Other non-operating income primarily consists of financial subsidy received from provincial and local governments for operating a business in their jurisdictions and compliance with specific policies promoted by the local government. During the year ended December 31, 2004, the Group received financial subsidy of RMB 258,055 from various local PRC government authorities. There are no defined rules and regulations to govern the criteria necessary for companies to receive such benefits, and the amount of financial subsidy are determined at the discretion of the relevant government authority. Such amounts are recorded as other non-operating income when received.

x. Statutory reserves

Based on the legal formation of the entities, appropriation of statutory reserves may be different. The Company, as a Sino-Foreign Enterprise, is required to set the portion of its net income as reported in its PRC statutory accounts on an annual basis to the Reserve Fund and Enterprise Expansion Fund. Such amounts shall be determined at the discretion of its board of directors. The Reserve Fund and Enterprise Expansion Fund can be used to increase the registered capital and eliminate future losses of the respective companies upon board’s resolution.

The Company’s subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries incorporated in the PRC are required to set aside 10% of its net income as reported in its statutory accounts on an annual basis to the Statutory Surplus Reserve Fund. Once the total Statutory Surplus Reserve reaches 50% of the registered capital of the respective companies, further appropriations are discretionary. The Statutory Surplus Reserve can be used to increase the registered capital and eliminate future losses of the respective subsidiaries under PRC GAAP. The Group’s Statutory Surplus Reserve is not distributable to shareholders except in the event of liquidation. Before January 1, 2006, the above subsidiaries are also required on an annual basis to set aside at least 5% of after-tax profit, calculated in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations, to the Statutory Surplus Welfare Fund, which can be used for staff welfare of the Group. Effective from January 1, 2006, the appropriation to the Statutory Surplus Welfare Fund is no longer required.

Appropriations to the above statutory reserves are accounted for as a transfer from retained earnings to statutory reserves. During the year ended December 31, 2004, the Group made total appropriations to these statutory reserves of RMB 3,555,106.

There are no legal requirements in the PRC to fund these statutory reserves by transfer of cash to any restricted accounts, and the Group does not do so. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends.

y. Dividends

Dividends are recognized when declared. The Company has not declared or paid any dividends.

The Company relies principally on dividends from its subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries in the PRC for its cash requirements. Current PRC regulations permit PRC companies to pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Additionally, the Company’s subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries can only distribute dividends after they have met the PRC requirements for appropriation to statutory reserves (Note 2aa). Aggregate net assets of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries not distributable in the form of dividends to the parent as a result of the

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

aforesaid PRC regulations was RMB 72,953,752 as of December 31, 2004. However, the PRC subsidiaries and VIE subsidiaries may transfer such net assets to the Company by other means, including through royalty and trademark license agreements or certain other contractual arrangements, at the discretion of the Company without third party consent.

z. Segment reporting

The Company follows SFAS No. 131, “Disclosures about Segment of an Enterprise and Related Information” for its segment reporting.

The Company operates and manages its business as a single segment. The Company primarily generates its revenues from customers in the PRC. Accordingly, no geographical segments are presented.

aa. Recent accounting pronouncements

In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123(R) (revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment” (“SFAS 123(R)”), which replaces SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation”, and supersedes APB No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees”. Under SFAS No. 123(R), share-based compensation is measured at fair value on the awards’ grant date, based on the estimated number of awards that are expected to vest. Pro forma disclosure is no longer an alternative. The Company will apply the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R) effective January 1, 2006.

The Company currently accounts for share-based payments to employees using APB No. 25’s intrinsic value method. As the Company currently applies SFAS No. 123 pro forma disclosure using the minimum value method of accounting, the Company is required to adopt SFAS No. 123(R) using the prospective transition method. Under the prospective transition method, non-public entities may continue to account for non-vested awards outstanding at the date of adoption of SFAS No. 123(R) in the same manner as they had been accounted for prior to adoption unless those awards are modified.

For any awards granted subsequent to the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R), compensation expense will be recognized generally over the vesting period of the award based on the fair value of the award on grant date.

On October 6, 2005, FASB Staff Position FAS No. 13-1 “Accounting for Rental Costs Incurred during a construction period” (“FSP FAS No. 13-1”) addresses the accounting for rental costs associated with operating leases that are incurred during a construction period. The FSP reached a consensus that as there is no distinction between the right to use a leased asset during the construction period and the right to use that asset after the construction period, and that the rental costs associated with ground or building operating leases that are incurred during a construction period should be recognized as rental expenses. This guidance is to be applied to the first reporting period beginning after December 15, 2005. The Company’s current accounting policy is consistent with guidance provided by FSP FAS No. 13-1.

In June 2005, the FASB issued SFAS No. 154, “Accounting Changes and Error Corrections” (“SFAS No. 154”), which replaces APB Opinion No. 20, “Accounting Changes” (“APB No. 20”), and FASB Statement No. 3, “Reporting Accounting Changes in Interim Financial Statements” (“SFAS No. 3”), and changes the requirements for the accounting for and reporting of a change in accounting principle. APB No. 20 previously required that most voluntary changes in accounting principle be recognized by including in net income of the period of the change the cumulative effect of changing to the new accounting principle. SFAS No. 154 requires retrospective application to prior periods’ financial statements of changes in accounting principle, unless it is impracticable to determine either the period-specific effects or the cumulative effect of the change. This

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

statement will be effective for accounting changes and corrections of errors made in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2005. The adoption of SFAS No. 154 will not have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In June 2005, the FASB ratified the Emerging Issues Task Forces Issue No. 05-06, “Determining the Amortization Period for Leasehold Improvements” (“EITF No. 05-06”). EITF No. 05-06 provides that the amortization period used for leasehold improvements acquired in a business combination or purchased after the inception of a lease be the shorter of (a) the useful life of the assets or (b) a term that includes required lease periods and renewals that are reasonably assured upon the acquisition or the purchase. The provisions of EITF No. 05-06 should be applied to leasehold improvements (within the scope of this issue) that are purchased or acquired in reporting periods beginning after June 29, 2005. The adoption of EITF No. 05-06 will not have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

ab. Certain risks and concentration

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and accounts receivable. As of December 31, 2004, substantially all of the Company’s cash was held in major financial institutions located in the PRC, which management considers to be of high credit quality. Accounts receivable are typically not collateralized and are denominated in RMB, and are derived from revenues earned from operations arising in the PRC. No individual customer accounted for more than 10% of net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2004. No individual customer accounted for more than 10% of accounts receivable as of December 31, 2004.

As of December 31, 2004, the Group has been operating with a working capital deficit, and its net current liabilities amounted to RMB 15,068,429. The management of Company believes that cash from operations and short-term bank borrowings will be sufficient to meet the Group’s operating cash flow in the foreseeable future.

3.    PREPAYMENTS AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS

Components of prepayments and other current assets as of December 31 are as follows:

 

     2004

Prepaid expenses

   3,465,607

Other current assets

   1,256,771
    

Total

   4,722,378
    

4.    PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

The components of property and equipment are as follows:

 

     2004  

Leasehold improvements

   68,100,467  

Machinery and equipment

   5,644,493  

Furniture, fixtures and office equipment

   19,300,767  

Construction in progress

   15,339,962  
      
   108,385,689  

Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization

   (9,216,028 )
      

Property and equipment, net

   99,169,661  
      

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Depreciation and amortization expenses incurred for the year ended December 31, 2004 are RMB 6,917,418.

5.    INTANGIBLE ASSETS:

Intangible assets as of December 31 are as follows:

 

     2004  

Intangible assets —

  

Purchased software

   395,886  
      

Less: accumulated amortization —

  

Purchased software

   (81,544 )
      

Intangible assets, net

   314,342  
      

Amortization expense of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2004 amounted to RMB 65,798.

The annual estimated amortization expense for the above intangible assets for the following years is as follows:

 

     Amortization

2005

   78,076

2006

   76,742

2007

   72,930

2008

   66,934

2009

   19,660
    
   314,342
    

6.    INCOME TAXES

The Company’s subsidiaries and its VIE subsidiaries incorporated in the PRC are subject to PRC Enterprise Income Tax (“EIT”) on the taxable income as reported in their respective statutory financial statements adjusted in accordance with relevant PRC income tax laws. Normally, the applicable EIT rates of these entities, are 30% plus a local income tax of 3%.

One of the VIE subsidiaries enjoys a preferential income tax rate of 15%.

Composition of income tax expense

The current and deferred portion of income tax expense (benefit) included in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income for the years ended December 31 is as follows:

 

     2004  

Current income tax expense

   9,987,596  

Deferred income tax benefit

   (3,127,073 )
      

Income tax expense

   6,860,523  
      

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

Reconciliation of the differences between statutory tax rate and the effective tax rate

A reconciliation between the statutory EIT rate and the Group’s effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2004:

 

     2004  

Statutory EIT rate

   33 %

Non-deductible expenses under tax laws

   19 %
      

Effective EIT rate

   52 %
      

Deferred tax assets and liabilities comprised:

 

     2004

Deferred tax assets, current:

  

Tax loss carry forwards

   60,963

Deductible temporary differences related to pre-operating expenses

   115,503
    
   176,466
    

Deferred tax assets, non-current:

  

Deductible temporary differences related to rental expenses

   4,565,470

Deductible temporary differences related to pre-operating expenses

   424,250
    
   4,989,720
    

Total deferred tax assets

   5,166,186
    

Deferred tax liabilities, current:

  

Taxable temporary differences related to recognition of personnel costs

   267,587
    

Deferred income tax assets are recognized for tax loss carry forwards to the extent that realization of the related tax benefit through the future taxable profits is probable. The Group had tax losses of RMB 304,134 as of December 31, 2004 to be carried forward against future taxable income. No provision against the deferred tax assets has been made. These tax losses will expire in 2009.

7.    PAID-IN CAPITAL

As of December 31, 2004, the registered and paid-up capital of the Company is RMB 68,945,000.

8.    OTHER PAYABLES AND ACCRUALS

 

     2004

Accrued expenses

   2,533,596

Payables to minority shareholders

   6,265,000

Payables on construction costs of leasehold improvements

   13,970,494

Others

   3,798,711
    

Total

   26,567,801
    

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

9.    RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

Name of related parties

  

Relationships with the Company

Home Inns & Management (Hong Kong) Ltd. (“Home Inns HK”)

  

Parent company

Top Sterling International Limited

  

Principal shareholder of Home Inns HK

BTG

  

Parent company of a principal shareholder of Home

Inns HK

Ctrip.com International, Ltd.

  

Under certain common directors who are also

shareholders and founders of each company

Jian Guo Inns Beijing Ltd. (“Jian Guo Inns”)

  

Subsidiary of BTG

Related party transactions during the year ended December 31 are as follows:

 

     2004

Sales commissions paid to Ctrip.com International, Ltd.

   354,901

Property rental fees paid to Jian Guo Inns

   3,042,222

Other income collected from Ctrip.com International, Ltd.

   36,000

Interest free borrowing from Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (fully repaid in 2003)

   —  

Share-based compensation expense (a)

   149,705

(a) Home Inns HK issued share options to certain management and employees of the Company. Such share options were accounted for by the Company as share-based compensation in accordance with APB No. 25 and recognized as a capital contribution from Home Inns HK, with an offsetting charge to the statement of operations.

As of December 31, significant balances with related parties are as follows:

Due from related parties:

 

     2004

BTG

   5,440

Top Sterling International Limited

   150,000
    
   155,440
    

Due to related parties:

 

     2004

Home Inns HK

   349,895

Ctrip.com International Ltd.

   95,134

Jian Guo Inns

   241,143
    
   686,172
    

The amounts due from and due to related parties as of December 31, 2004 mainly arose from the above transactions and payments made on behalf of related parties. These amounts are not collateralized, free of interest and receivable or payable on demand.

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

10.    COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

(a) Capital commitments

As of December 31, 2004, the Group’s commitments related to leasehold improvements, installation of machinery and equipment for the hotel operations amounting to RMB 85,211,695.

(b) Investment commitments

As of December 31, 2004, the Group’s investment commitments related to investments in Home Inns & Hotels Management (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd, Home Inns & Hotels Management (Ningbo) Co., Ltd, Shanghai Home Inns Hemei Changning Hotel Co., Ltd and Home Inns & Hotels Management (Songjiang) Co., Ltd, which will become wholly owned subsidiaries of the Group upon establishment. These entities will be established with registered capitals of RMB 500,000, RMB 1,500,000, RMB 1,000,000 and RMB 1,000,000, respectively.

(c) Commitments under operating leases

The Group has entered into lease agreements relating to lease–and-operated hotels that are classified as operating leases.

Future minimum lease payments for non-cancelable operating leases at December 31, 2004 are as follows:

 

     Related party    Non-related party    Total
     RMB    RMB    RMB

2005

   3,500,000    30,533,451    34,033,451

2006

   3,500,000    30,937,828    34,437,828

2007

   3,500,000    31,528,770    35,028,770

2008

   3,500,000    31,813,077    35,313,077

2009

   3,500,000    32,408,105    35,908,105

Thereafter

   30,291,667    276,353,448    306,645,115

Total

   47,791,667    433,574,679    481,366,346

Rental expenses amounted to RMB 29,483,420 during the year ended December 31, 2004, and were charged to the statement of operations when incurred.

(d) Contingencies

The Group had no significant contingency as of December 31, 2004.

11. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

i. Financing transaction agreement with BTG

In June 2005, the Company and Home Inns HK entered into a financing transaction agreement to obtain financing from BTG. By this agreement, BTG agreed to extend a loan facility to the Company in an amount of RMB 80,000,000 for hotel development and operations. Each loan drawn down under the facility is repayable after 3 years and bears an interest rate at 6.1747%. According to the financing transaction agreement, if the Company defaults, and the parties of the agreement fail to reach consensus on an extension of the loan

 

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HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO., LTD.

NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)

(Amounts expressed in RMB unless otherwise stated)

 

agreement, BTG can choose one of the three options: 1) request liquidation of Home Inns HK or the Company and obtain repayment via legal proceedings; 2) if the net assets of Home Inns HK on such date exceed those on the agreement date, BTG may convert the outstanding loan principal amount into 11.15% of equity shares in Home Inns HK; or 3) if the net assets of the Company exceed RMB 663,477,155, BTG may convert the loan principal amount into a percentage of equity shares in the Company determined by dividing the outstanding loan principal amount by RMB 663,477,155.

In July 2005, September 2005, October 2005 and January 2006, the Company drew down RMB 20,000,000, RMB 10,000,000, RMB 10,000,000, and RMB 20,000,000, respectively, on the loan facility from BTG.

ii. Lawsuit with a lessor

In September 2003, the Company entered into a long-term lease agreement with a lessor to lease a group of properties. However, in September 2005, the lessor accused the Company of violating sublease requirements, and filed a complaint with the District Court of Jin An District, Shanghai, where the properties are located, seeking lease termination as well as punitive damage of RMB 216,668. In March 2006, the District Court of Jin An District ruled in favor of the Company, finding the Company to be in compliance with the lease agreement, and that the lessor’s complaint to have no merit.

 

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences or committing a crime. Our Articles of Association provide for indemnification of officers and directors for losses, damages, costs and expenses incurred in their capacities as such, except through their own willful neglect or default.

Pursuant to the form of indemnification agreements filed as Exhibit 10.2 to our Registration Statement on Form F-1 (Registration No. 333-137800) originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 4, 2006, we have agreed to indemnify our directors and officers against certain liabilities and expenses incurred by such persons in connection with claims made by reason of their being such a director or officer.

The form of Underwriting Agreement to be filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement will also provide for indemnification of us and our officers and directors.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

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ITEM 7. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.

During the past three years, we have issued and sold the following securities (including options to acquire our ordinary shares). We believe that each of the following issuances and sales was exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act because they were offshore transactions involving non-U.S. persons and there were no directed selling efforts in the United States, with the exception of the issuance and sale to Susquehanna, which was exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Section 4(2) of the Securities Act because the transaction was a private sale of securities to a sophisticated investor which was purchasing our shares for investment purpose and not with a view to distribution.

 

Purchaser

  

Date of Sale or

Issuance

  

Number of

Securities

  

Consideration

(US$)

  

Underwriting

Discount and

Commission

Poly Victory Investments Limited

   May 24, 2004   

13,219,140

Ordinary Shares

   2,667,615.50 plus a 12.45% interest of Home Inns Beijing    N/A

Poly Victory Investments Limited

   September 15, 2004   

145,000

Ordinary Shares

   93.26    N/A

Top Sterling International Limited

   September 15, 2004   

3,035,000

Ordinary Shares

   1,039,487.50    N/A

Susquehanna China Investment HI

   January 24, 2005    2,873,940 Series C Preferred Shares    4,400,000.00    N/A

Kangaroo Investments LLC

   January 24, 2005    130,633 Series C Preferred Shares    200,000.00    N/A

Fortune Hero Limited

   January 24, 2005    65,317 Series C Preferred Shares    100,000.00    N/A

Soon Yan Seen

   January 24, 2005    65,317 Series C Preferred Shares    100,000.00    N/A

Hiroko Nishikawa

   January 24, 2005    65,317 Series C Preferred Shares    100,000.00    N/A

Beihai Capital Limited

   January 24, 2005    65,317 Series C Preferred Shares    100,000.00    N/A

Neil Nanpeng Shen

   July 4, 2006   

1,444,095

Ordinary Shares

   4,000,000.00    N/A

Chung Lau

   July 4, 2006    722,048 Ordinary Shares    2,000,000.00    N/A

Min Fan

   July 4, 2006   

361,024

Ordinary Shares

   1,000,000.00    N/A

David Jian Sun

   July 4, 2006   

111,556

Ordinary Shares

   309,000.00    N/A

May Wu

   July 4, 2006   

144,771

Ordinary Shares

   401,000.00    N/A

Rixin Liang

   July 4, 2006   

50,543

Ordinary Shares

   140,000.00    N/A

Certain directors, employees and consultants of the Registrant

  

 

From February 28,

2003 to

April 20, 2007

  

 

Options or stock purchase rights to purchase a total of

6,375,416

Ordinary Shares

  

 

Exercise prices ranging from

$0.232 to $17.395 per share

  

 

N/A

 

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Table of Contents

In June 2006, all of the then-existing shareholders of Home Inns Hong Kong exchanged their respective shares of Home Inns Hong Kong for an equivalent number of shares of Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. of equivalent classes. For the same reasons stated in the paragraph above, each issuance of shares of Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. in connection with this share exchange was exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act, with the exception of the issuance to Susquehanna, which was exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Section 4(2) of the Securities Act.

 

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.

 

(a) Exhibits

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description of Document

1.1**    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
3.2*    Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant.
4.1*    Registrant’s Form of American Depositary Receipt (included in Exhibit 4.3).
4.2*    Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for Ordinary shares.
4.3*    Deposit Agreement, dated October 31, 2006, among the Registrant, the depositary and owners and beneficial owners of the American Depositary Receipts.
4.4*    Share Purchase Agreement, dated November 24, 2003, in respect of the sale of Series B preferred shares of the Registrant.
4.5*    Share Subscription Agreement, dated May 24, 2004, in respect of the sale of ordinary shares of the Registrant.
4.6*    Share Subscription Agreement, dated September 15, 2004, in respect of the sale of ordinary shares of the Registrant.
4.7*    Share Purchase Agreement, dated January 24, 2005, in respect of the sale of Series C preferred shares of the Registrant.
4.8*    Shareholders Agreement, dated June 29, 2006, among the Registrant and its shareholders party thereto.
4.9*    Subscription Agreement, dated July 4, 2006, in respect of the sale of ordinary shares of the Registrant.
4.10*    Acting-in-Concert Agreement, dated July 6, 2006, among the shareholders of the Registrant party thereto.
4.11*    Financing Transaction Agreement, dated June 2005, between BTG and the Registrant
5.1*    Opinion of Maples and Calder regarding the validity of the ordinary shares being registered.
8.1*    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP regarding certain U.S. tax matters.
10.1*    Employees’ Stock Option Plan.
10.2*    Form of Indemnification Agreement with the Registrant’s directors.
10.3*    Employment Agreement between the Registrant and David Jian Sun.
10.4*    Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Rixin Liang.
10.5*    Employment Agreement between the Registrant and May Y. Wu.
10.6*    2006 Share Incentive Plan.
21.1*   

Subsidiaries of the Registrant.

23.1**   

Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company, an Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

 

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Exhibit

Number

  

Description of Document

23.2*   

Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit 5.1).

23.3*   

Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1).

23.4*   

Consent of Commerce and Finance Law Offices.

24.1*   

Powers of Attorney (included on signature page)


* Filed previously.
** Filed herewith.

 

(b) Financial Statement Schedules

Schedules have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the Consolidated Financial Statements or the Notes thereto.

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 6, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant under Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

II-4


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-1 and has duly caused this amendment to the registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, on April 25, 2007.

 

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC.

By:

 

/s/ David Jian Sun

 

  Name: David Jian Sun
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on April 25, 2007.

Signature

  

Title

/s/ David Jian Sun

  

Chief Executive Officer, Director

(principal executive officer)

Name: David Jian Sun   

/s/ May Wu

Name: May Wu

  

Chief Financial Officer (principal

financial and accounting officer)

*

  

Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors

Name: Yunxin Mei   

*

  

Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors

Name: Neil Nanpeng Shen   

*

  

Director

Name: Min Bao   

*

  

Director

Name: James Jianzhang Liang   

*

  

Director

Name: Kenneth Gaw   

*

  

Director

Name: Terry Yongmin Hu   

*

  

Authorized U.S. Representative

Name: Donald J. Puglisi

Title: Managing Director

Puglisi & Associates

  
  

*By:

 

/s/ David Jian Sun

 

David Jian Sun

Attorney-in-Fact

 

II-5


Table of Contents

HOME INNS & HOTELS MANAGEMENT INC. EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number
  

Description of Document

1.1**    Form of Underwriting Agreement.
3.2*    Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant.
4.1*    Registrant’s Form of American Depositary Receipt (included in Exhibit 4.3).
4.2*    Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for Ordinary shares.
4.3*    Deposit Agreement, dated October 31, 2006, among the Registrant, the depositary and owners and beneficial owners of the American Depositary Receipts.
4.4*    Share Purchase Agreement, dated November 24, 2003, in respect of the sale of Series B preferred shares of the Registrant.
4.5*    Share Subscription Agreement, dated May 24, 2004, in respect of the sale of ordinary shares of the Registrant.
4.6*    Share Subscription Agreement, dated September 15, 2004, in respect of the sale of ordinary shares of the Registrant.
4.7*    Share Purchase Agreement, dated January 24, 2005, in respect of the sale of Series C preferred shares of the Registrant.
4.8*    Shareholders Agreement, dated June 29, 2006, among the Registrant and its shareholders party thereto.
4.9*    Subscription Agreement, dated July 4, 2006, in respect of the sale of ordinary shares of the Registrant.
4.10*    Acting-in-Concert Agreement, dated July 6, 2006, among the shareholders of the Registrant party thereto.
4.11*    Financing Transaction Agreement, dated June 2005, between BTG and the Registrant
5.1*    Opinion of Maples and Calder regarding the validity of the ordinary shares being registered.
8.1*    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP regarding certain U.S. tax matters.
10.1*    Employees’ Stock Option Plan.
10.2*    Form of Indemnification Agreement with the Registrant’s directors.
10.3*    Employment Agreement between the Registrant and David Jian Sun.
10.4*    Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Rixin Liang.
10.5*    Employment Agreement between the Registrant and May Y. Wu.
10.6*    2006 Share Incentive Plan.
21.1*    Subsidiaries of the Registrant.
23.1**    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited Company, an Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
23.2*    Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.3*    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1).
23.4*    Consent of Commerce and Finance Law Offices.
24.1*    Powers of Attorney (included on signature page)

* Filed previously.
** Filed herewith.

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