By Cavas Pavri, Thomson Reuters Accelus contributing author
NEW YORK, Aug. 26 (Thomson Reuters Accelus) – The considerable negative publicity surrounding Chinese companies listed in the United States has made it increasingly difficult for investors to separate the undervalued from the fraudulent. Essential for success: Taking a close look at the firms’ auditors and corporate governance practices going forward.
In April 2011, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) acknowledged that it had established a task force to address what it deemed to be abuses by Chinese companies accessing the U.S. markets through the use of reverse merger transactions. SEC Commissioner Luis Aguilar referred to the proliferation of these companies as a “disturbing trend that seems to have challenging implications for capital formation and investor protection.” In addition to the SEC, the U.S. national stock exchanges have been taking more aggressive actions against Chinese companies. In 2011, almost two dozen Chinese companies have seen trading in their securities halted or have been delisted because of accounting irregularities.
This article discusses areas that investors should focus on in performing their due diligence on investments in Chinese companies.
