Item 4.01. Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.
The Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board of Directors of Tennant Company (the “Company”) conducted a competitive process to determine the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2020. The Company invited several independent registered public accounting firms to participate in this process.
As a result of the review of proposals from the independent registered public accounting firms that participated, on August 27, 2019, the Audit Committee approved the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2020, subject to the completion of Deloitte’s standard client acceptance procedures and execution of an engagement letter. KPMG LLP (“KPMG”), the Company’s current independent registered public accounting firm, will continue as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019.
KPMG’s reports on the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of and for the years ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles, except as follows:
KPMG's report on the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, contained a separate paragraph stating that “As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has changed its method of accounting for revenue in 2018 due to the adoption of FASB Accounting Standards Codification (Topic 606), Revenue from Contracts with Customers." KPMG’s report on the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2017 contained a paragraph indicating their audit of internal control over financial reporting of the Company excluded an evaluation of the internal control over financial reporting of IPC Group, which was acquired by the Company in fiscal 2017.
During the years ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, and the subsequent interim period through August 30, 2019, there were (i) no disagreements as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K, between the Company and KPMG on any matter of accounting principles or
practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures which, if not resolved to the satisfaction of KPMG, would have caused KPMG to make reference thereto in their reports; and (ii) no reportable events as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
The Company has provided KPMG with a copy of this Current Report on Form 8-K and requested that KPMG furnish a letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether or not it agrees with the statements herein. A copy of KPMG’s letter is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this Form 8-K Report.
During the years ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, and the subsequent interim period through August 30, 2019, neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has consulted with Deloitte regarding (i) the application of accounting principles to a specific transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, and no written report or oral advice was provided to the Company that Deloitte concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing, or financial reporting issue, or (ii) any matters that were the subject of a disagreement within the meaning Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions, or (iii) any reportable event within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.