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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): February 27, 2023

 

PHENIXFIN CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   814-00818   27-4576073
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Commission file number)   (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)

 

445 Park Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY   10022
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 859-0390

 

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 exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share   PFX   The NASDAQ Global Market
5.25% Notes due 2028   PFXNZ   The NASDAQ Global 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 4.01Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.

 

(a)Dismissal of independent registered public accounting firm

 

On February 27, 2023, the board of directors (the “Board”) of PhenixFIN Corporation (the “Company”) dismissed Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Board’s decision to dismiss Ernst & Young LLP was recommended by the audit committee of the Board.

 

The audit reports of Ernst & Young LLP on the Company's consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2022 did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles. During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2022 and the subsequent period preceding February 27, 2023, there were no disagreements with Ernst & Young LLP on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Ernst & Young LLP, would have caused it to make reference to the subject matter of such disagreements in connection with its reports, nor were there any “reportable events”, as such term is described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

 

The Company provided Ernst & Young LLP with a copy of this Form 8-K prior to its filing with the SEC and requested that Ernst & Young LLP provide the Company with a letter addressed to the SEC stating whether it agrees with the above statements. A copy of Ernst & Young LLP’s letter dated March 3, 2023 is filed as an exhibit to this Form 8-K.

 

(b)Appointment of new independent registered public accounting firm

 

On February 27, 2023, upon the recommendation of the audit committee, the Board approved the appointment of KPMG LLP to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm to audit the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023.

 

During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2022 and through February 27, 2023, neither the Company nor any person on its behalf has consulted with KPMG LLP with respect to 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 consolidated financial statements or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a “disagreement” or a “reportable event” as such terms are described in Items 304(a)(1)(iv) or 304(a)(1)(v), respectively, of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Exchange Act.

  

Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.   Description
16.1   Letter of Ernst & Young LLP
104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

1

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

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

 

DATE: March 3, 2023 PHENIXFIN CORPORATION

 

  /s/ David Lorber
  Name: David Lorber
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

2

 

 

 

Exhibit 16.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 3, 2023

 

Securities and Exchange Commission

 

100 F Street, N.E.

Washington, DC 20549

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have read Item 4.01 of Form 8-K dated March 3, 2023, of PhenixFin Corporation and are in agreement with the statements contained in the paragraph 4.01(a) on page 2 therein. We have no basis to agree or disagree with other statements of the registrant contained therein.