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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): July 11, 2025
THE
ARENA GROUP HOLDINGS, INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
delaware |
|
001-12471 |
|
68-0232575 |
(State
or other jurisdiction
of
incorporation) |
|
(Commission
File
Number) |
|
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.) |
200
VESEY STREET, 24TH FLOOR |
|
|
NEW
YORK, new york |
|
10281 |
(Address
of principal executive offices) |
|
(Zip
code) |
212-321-5002
(Registrant’s
telephone number including area code)
(Former
name or former address if changed since last report)
Securities
registered pursuant in Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title
of each class |
|
Trading
Symbol(s) |
|
Name
of each exchange on which registered |
Common
Stock, par value $0.01 per share |
|
AREN |
|
NYSE
American |
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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):
☐ |
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
(a)
Dismissal of Independent Registered Public Accountant
As
of July 11, 2025, the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of The Arena
Group Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) approved the dismissal of KPMG LLP (“KPMG”) as the Company’s independent
registered public accounting firm, effective immediately.
The
audit report of KPMG on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 did not contain
an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and was not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles,
except that such audit report contained an explanatory paragraph expressing substantial doubt as to the Company’s ability to continue
as a going concern.
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and the subsequent interim period through July 11, 2025, the date of KPMG’s dismissal,
(i) there were no “disagreements” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) between
the Company and KPMG on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure,
which, if not resolved to the satisfaction of KPMG would have caused KPMG to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements
in its report on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for such year, and (ii) there were no reportable events of the
type described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K, except that, in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2024, the Company reported the following material weaknesses in Company’s internal control over financial
reporting as of December 31, 2024: (a) the Company’s finance and accounting policies, including those governing revenue recognition,
expense recognition, and balance sheet valuation principles and methodologies, have not been fully documented; and (b) the Company did
not maintain a sufficient system of internal controls to validate data provided by certain third party service providers including: (1)
a third party providing print subscription management services; (2) a third party advertising partner; and (3) a third party providing
ad serving services. The Committee discussed with KPMG the reportable event described above, and the Company has authorized KPMG to respond
fully to the inquiries of the successor accountant (described below) concerning the reportable event.
The
Company has provided KPMG with a copy of this Form 8-K and requested that KPMG provide the Company with a letter addressed to the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether it agrees with the above disclosures. A copy of KPMG’s letter, dated July 14,
2025, is attached as Exhibit 16.1 to this Form 8-K.
(b)
Newly Appointed Independent Registered Public Accountant
On
July 11, 2025, the Committee approved the appointment of BDO USA, P.C. (“BDO”) as the Company’s independent registered
public accounting firm to perform independent audit services, effective immediately. The selection of BDO as the Company’s independent
registered accounting firm was also approved by the Board.
During
the Company’s fiscal years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 and in the subsequent interim period through July 11, 2025, neither
the Company nor anyone on its behalf consulted with BDO regarding either: (i) the application of accounting principles to a specific
transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s consolidated financial
statements, and neither a written report was provided to the Company nor oral advice was provided to the Company that BDO concluded 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 either the subject of a disagreement or reportable event as defined in Regulation S-K, Item 304(a)(1)(iv) and
Item 304(a)(1)(v), respectively.
Item
9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)
Exhibits
|
16.1 |
Letter
of KPMG LLP dated July 14, 2025. |
|
104 |
Cover Page Interactive Data
File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
|
THE
ARENA GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. |
|
|
|
Dated:
July 14, 2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: |
/s/
Paul Edmondson |
|
Name: |
Paul
Edmondson |
|
Title: |
Chief
Executive Officer |