unit-8k_20200316.htm
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United States

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 16, 2020

 

Uniti Group Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maryland

 

001-36708

 

46-5230630

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

 

 

10802 Executive Center Drive

Benton Building Suite 300

Little Rock, Arkansas

 

72211

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (501) 850-0820

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) 

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock

UNIT

The NASDAQ Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

 

 


 

Item 4.01 Change in the Company’s Certifying Accountant

(a)     Dismissal of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

On March 16, 2020, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Uniti Group Inc. (the “Company”) dismissed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.

PwC’s audit report as of and for the year ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 contained no adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principle, except that PwC’s reports for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 included an explanatory paragraph indicating that there was substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 and the subsequent interim period through March 16, 2020, there were (i) no “disagreements” (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K) between the Company and PwC on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure that, if not resolved to the satisfaction of PwC, would have caused PwC to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement in its reports on the financial statements for such years, and (ii) no “reportable events” (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K), except as disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, the Company identified a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting related to the identification and valuation of certain assets in the application of the acquisition method of accounting for asset acquisitions, including the determination of appropriate useful lives for certain assets. Specifically, our controls over the development and application of inputs, assumptions and calculations used in fair value measurements were not designed and operating effectively at an appropriate level of precision.  

The Company has provided PwC with a copy of this Form 8-K and requested that PwC furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether or not it agrees with the statements above. A copy of PwC’s letter dated March 20, 2020 is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this Form 8-K.

(b)     Engagement of New Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

On March 16, 2020, following the conclusion of a process managed by the Company’s Audit Committee, the Audit Committee approved the appointment of KPMG LLP (“KPMG”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm beginning with the year ending December 31, 2020. During the Company’s years ending December 31, 2019 and 2018 and through March 16, 2020, neither the Company, nor anyone on its behalf, consulted KPMG regarding either: (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed; or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements; or (ii) any matter that was the subject of a “disagreement” (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K) or “reportable event” (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

16.1

 

Letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dated March 20, 2020

104

 

Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

 

 

 


 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: March 20, 2020

UNITI GROUP INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Daniel L. Heard

 

 

Name:

 

Daniel L. Heard

 

 

Title:

 

Executive Vice President – General Counsel and Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

unit-ex161_6.htm

Exhibit 16.1

 

 

March 20, 2020

 

Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, N.E.

Washington, DC 20549

 

Commissioners:

 

We have read the statements made by Uniti Group Inc. (copy attached), which we understand will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, pursuant to Item 4.01 of Form 8-K of Uniti Group Inc. dated March 16, 2020.  We agree with the statements concerning our Firm contained therein.

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Little Rock, Arkansas

 

 

Attachment