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): May 16, 2023

 

 

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Delaware			001-35883	27-1220297
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)			(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
6240 Sea Harbor Drive
Orlando, Florida				32821
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)				(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: 407 226-5011

 

(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:

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, par value $0.01 per share		SEAS		New York Stock Exchange

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. ☐

 

 

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Item 4.01 Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.

On May 16, 2023, the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (the “Company”) approved the engagement of KPMG LLP (“KPMG”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, effective immediately.

On May 16, 2023, the Committee dismissed Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, effective immediately. The reports of Deloitte on the Company’s financial statements for each of the two fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles. In the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022 and in the subsequent interim period through May 16, 2023, there were no “disagreements” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) between the Company and Deloitte on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedures, which, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Deloitte, would have caused Deloitte to make reference to the matter in its report on the financial statements for such years.

In the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022 and in the subsequent interim period through May 16, 2023, there were no “reportable events” (as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K), except that, as initially reported in Part I, Item 4 of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2021, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on November 15, 2021, the Company reported a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting during such period due to the Company not having sufficient policies and procedures related to certain Board oversight responsibilities of Board engagement within the Company’s control environment including delegation of authority.

As reported in Part I, Item 4 of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2023, as filed with the SEC on May 10, 2023, the Board and management continue efforts to remediate the material weakness, but as of March 31, 2023, the material weakness was not considered remediated. As a result of the material weakness, management concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of March 31, 2023.

The Company provided Deloitte with a copy of the disclosures contained in this Form 8-K and requested that Deloitte furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the SEC stating whether it agrees with the statements contained herein. A copy of Deloitte’s letter, dated May 17, 2023, is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022 and the subsequent interim period through May 16, 2023, neither the Company nor anyone on its behalf consulted with KPMG with respect to (a) 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, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to the Company that KPMG concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, or (b) any matter that was either the subject of a “disagreement” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) or a “reportable event” (as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
16.1	Letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP dated May 17, 2023.
104	Cover page interactive data filed (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

 

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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.

			SEAWORLD ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
Date:	May 17, 2023	By:	/s/ G. Anthony (Tony) Taylor
		Name: Title:	G. Anthony (Tony) Taylor Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

 

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