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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): June 3, 2022

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

Delaware			001-35380			45-3007926
(State or other jurisdiction of  incorporation or organization)			(Commission File Number)			(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

15 W. Sixth Street			Suite 900
Tulsa			Oklahoma						74119
(Address of principal executive offices)									(Zip code)

 Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (918) 513-4570

 Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:

Title of each class			Trading Symbol			Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, $0.01 par value			LPI			New York Stock Exchange

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. ☐

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Item 4.01. Change in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.

On June 3, 2022, following the completion of a comprehensive evaluation process, the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board of Directors of Laredo Petroleum, Inc. (the “Company”) dismissed Grant Thornton LLP (“Grant Thornton”) and appointed Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022. The change is effective immediately.

Grant Thornton’s audit report on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and was not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principle.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 and through the subsequent interim period ending June 3, 2022, there were (i) no disagreements (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) between the Company and Grant Thornton on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Grant Thornton would have caused Grant Thornton to make reference to the subject matter thereof in connection with its reports on the consolidated financial statements of the Company for such years, and (ii) no “reportable events” (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).

The Company provided Grant Thornton with a copy of this Form 8-K and requested that Grant Thornton provide the Company with a letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether or not Grant Thornton agrees with the above disclosures. A copy of Grant Thornton’s letter, dated June 7, 2022, is attached as Exhibit 16.1 to this Form 8-K.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 and through the subsequent interim period ending June 3, 2022, neither the Company, nor any party on behalf of the Company, consulted with EY with respect to either (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of the audit opinion that might be rendered with respect to the Company’s consolidated financial statements, and no written report or oral advice was provided to the Company by EY that was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, or (ii) any matter that was subject to any disagreement (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) or a reportable event (as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)  Exhibits.

 

Exhibit Number						Description
16.1						Letter from Grant Thornton LLP to the Securities and Exchange Commission, dated June 7, 2022.
104						Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL).

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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.

 

						LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.
Date: June 7, 2022			By:			/s/ Bryan J. Lemmerman
						Bryan J. Lemmerman
						Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer