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: July 10, 2017
(Date of earliest event reported)
Yuma Energy, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| DELAWARE | 001-37932 | 94-0787340 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
1177 West Loop South, Suite 1825
Houston, Texas 77027
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(713) 968-7000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
| (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)) |
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.
Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.
On July 10, 2017, Yuma Energy, Inc., (the “Company”), (i) dismissed Grant Thornton LLP (“Grant Thornton”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and (ii) appointed Hein & Associates LLP (“Hein”) effective immediately to serve as the Company’s new independent registered public accounting firm to audit the Company’s financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017. The audit committee of the Company’s board of directors approved the dismissal of Grant Thornton and the appointment of Hein as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm on July 10, 2017.
The report of Grant Thornton on the financial statements of the Company as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, and was not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and the interim period through July 10, 2017, (i) the Company had no disagreements with Grant Thornton on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to Grant Thornton’s satisfaction, would have caused Grant Thornton to make reference to the subject matter of such disagreements in its report on the financial statements of the Company for such time period and (ii) there were no reportable events of the type described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
The Company has provided Grant Thornton with a copy of the foregoing disclosure and requested that Grant Thornton furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether or not Grant Thornton agrees with the statements above concerning Grant Thornton. A copy of Grant Thornton’s letter, dated July 10, 2017, is attached hereto as Exhibit 16.1.
During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, and the interim period through July 10, 2017, the Company did not consult Hein 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 financial statements, and no written report or oral advice was provided to the Company by Hein that Hein concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to the accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue; or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement, as that term is described in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions to Item 304 of Regulation S-K, or a reportable event, as that term is described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
Item 9.01.
Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)
Exhibits.
The following exhibit is included with this Current Report on Form 8-K:
| Exhibit No. | Description | ||
| Letter from Grant Thornton LLP, dated July 10, 2017, regarding the change in certifying accountant. | |||
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SIGNATURE
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.
| YUMA ENERGY, INC. | ||||
| By: | /s/ Sam L. Banks | |||
| Name: | Sam L. Banks | |||
| Date: July 11, 2017 | Title: | Chief Executive Officer | ||
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EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit No. | Description | ||
| Letter from Grant Thornton LLP, dated July 10, 2017, regarding the change in certifying accountant. | |||
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