Change Of Auditors

ABAXIS DISMISSES D&T: Blood-analysis systems manufacturer Abaxis Inc. dismissed Big Four firm Deloitte & Touche as its outside auditor, and retained Burr, Pilger & Mayer LLP as its successor.A federal filing did not state a reason for the auditor change, and there were no disagreements with Deloitte on accounting matters.

However, the company's former auditor expressed an adverse opinion due to a material weakness in controls related to the determination and reporting of a provision for income taxes.

READER'S DIGEST AUDITOR DECLINES RE-ELECTION: Publishing concern Reader's Digest Association Inc. said that its auditor, Big Four firm KPMG, had declined to stand for re-election.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the New York-based company said that it had requested proposals from a number of larger audit firms, including its current auditor.

Reader's Digest said that it had no accounting disagreements with KPMG for its two most recent fiscal years.

ORAGENICS DISMISSES E&Y: Biotechnology concern Oragenics Inc. dismissed Ernst & Young as its independent accountant and replaced the Big Four firm with Kirkland, Russ, Murphy & Tapp.

Ernst & Young's reports on the company didn't contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion as to audit scope or accounting principles over the last two fiscal years.

ALLIANCE ONE ENGAGES DELOITTE: Virginia-based tobacco concern Alliance One International dismissed its auditor, Ernst & Young, and named Big Four firm Deloitte & Touche as its new independent accountant.

In a federal filing, Alliance One said that it decided to change auditors following a competitive bidding process in which several firms completed proposals to the company's audit committee.

ANSWERTHINK JETTISONS PWC: Miami-based Answerthink dismissed PricewaterhouseCoopers as its auditor, replacing the Big Four firm with BDO Seidman.

Answerthink, a technology consultant, did not state a reason for the change in auditors.

There were no disagreements between Answerthink and PwC on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure.

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