SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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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 6, 2003
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AUTONATION, INC.
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(Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)
DELAWARE 1-13107 73-1105145
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State Or Other Jurisdiction (Commission (IRS Employer
Of Incorporation) File Number) Identification No.)
110 S.E. 6th Street
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33301
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(Address Of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code (954) 769-6000
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____________________________________________________
(Former Name Or Former Address, If Changed Since Last Report)
ITEM 4. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.
Effective as of May 6, 2003, AutoNation, Inc. ("AutoNation") appointed KPMG LLP
("KPMG") as its new independent public accountant. Effective as of May 5, 2003,
AutoNation dismissed Deloitte & Touche LLP ("D&T") as its independent public
accountant. This change in independent public accountant was approved by the
Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of AutoNation. The change was made
following the recent announcement by D&T that it had ended efforts to separate
Deloitte Consulting, which provides certain non-audit consulting services to the
Company that will become prohibited services for an audit firm to provide to its
audit clients under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated
thereunder.
During AutoNation's most recent fiscal year and through the date of this Form
8-K, there were no disagreements between AutoNation and D&T on any matter of
accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing
scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to D&T's satisfaction,
would have caused D&T to make reference to the subject matter of the
disagreement in connection with its report. AutoNation engaged D&T as its
independent public accountant effective as of May 31, 2002 and, accordingly, D&T
did not render services to AutoNation with respect to accounting principles or
practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedure during
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001.
None of the reportable events described under Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation
S-K occurred within AutoNation's two most recent fiscal years and through the
date of this Form 8-K. As described above, AutoNation engaged D&T as its
independent public accountant effective as of May 31, 2002.
The audit report of D&T on the consolidated financial statements of AutoNation
and its subsidiaries as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002 did
not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor was it qualified or
modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles. As described
above, AutoNation engaged D&T as its independent public accountant effective as
of May 31, 2002 and, accordingly, D&T did not render audit services with respect
to the consolidated financial statements of AutoNation and its subsidiaries as
of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001.
AutoNation provided D&T with a copy of the foregoing disclosures. Attached
hereto as Exhibit 16.1 is a copy of D&T's letter, dated May 6, 2003, stating its
agreement with such statements.
During AutoNation's two most recent fiscal years and through the date of this
Form 8-K, AutoNation did not consult with KPMG with respect to the application
of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or
proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on AutoNation's
consolidated financial statements, or any other matters or reportable events
listed in Item 304(a)(2)(i) and (ii) of Regulation S-K.
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Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits
Number Exhibit
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16.1 Letter of Deloitte & Touche LLP regarding change in
certifying accountant.
99.1 Press Release of AutoNation, Inc. dated May 6, 2003.
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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.
AUTONATION, INC.
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(Registrant)
By: /s/ Jonathan P. Ferrando
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Jonathan P. Ferrando
Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary
Dated: May 6, 2003
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit Exhibit
Number Description
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16.1 Letter of Deloitte & Touche LLP regarding change in
certifying accountant.
99.1 Press Release of AutoNation, Inc., dated May 6, 2003.