COLONY NORTHSTAR, INC. (NYSE:CLNS) Files An 8-K Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant
Item 4.01 Changes in Registrants Certifying Accountant.
Committee of its Board of Directors, engaged Ernst Young LLP (EY)
as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for
the year ending December 31, 2017. Concurrently, the Company
informed Grant Thornton LLP (GT) that it will be dismissed as the
independent registered public accounting firm for the Company. GT
will complete the audit of NSAMs consolidated financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 2016, to be filed with
the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2016. EY previously served as the independent
registered public accounting firm for Colony Capital, Inc. GTs
dismissal was not due to any reasons related to the reporting or
accounting operations, policies or procedures of the Company.
subsequent interim period through February 28, 2017, neither the
Company nor anyone on its behalf has consulted with EY regarding
(1) application of accounting principles to a specific
transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit
opinion that might be rendered on NSAMs financial statements and
neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to the
Company that EY concluded was an important factor considered by
the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting,
auditing, or financial reporting issue, (2) any matter that was
the subject of a disagreement within the meaning of Item
304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K, or (3) any reportable event
within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 did not contain an
adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified
or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting
principles.
statements for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, and
during the subsequent interim period through February 28, 2017,
there were (1) no disagreements as that term is defined in Item
304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K, with GT on any matter of
accounting principles or practices, financial statement
disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, any of which that, if
not resolved to GTs satisfaction, would have caused GT to make
reference to the subject matter in its reports for such years and
(2) no reportable events within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v)
of Regulation S-K.
making in this Current Report on Form 8-K. The Company requested
that GT furnish to the Company a letter addressed to the SEC
stating whether or not it agrees with the statements made herein.
A copy of GTs letter dated February 28, 2017 is attached as
Exhibit 16.1 hereto.
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Exhibit No.
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Description
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16.1
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Letter from Grant Thornton LLP to the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission, dated February 28, 2017 |
About COLONY NORTHSTAR, INC. (NYSE:CLNS)
Colony NorthStar, Inc. is a diversified equity real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company combines a portfolio of real assets across the world, which are managed with a global real estate investment manager. The Company has property holdings in the healthcare, industrial and hospitality sectors, opportunistic equity and debt investments, and an embedded institutional and retail investment management business. In addition, the Company owns NorthStar Securities, LLC, a captive broker-dealer platform which raises capital in the retail market. The Company acquires, develops and operates industrial properties in metropolitan markets throughout the United States with a focus on light industrial buildings. The Company provides investment management services and offers investment products while serving as a fiduciary to a set of institutional and individual investors. COLONY NORTHSTAR, INC. (NYSE:CLNS) Recent Trading Information
COLONY NORTHSTAR, INC. (NYSE:CLNS) closed its last trading session up +0.24 at 14.68 with 12,115,689 shares trading hands.
