Form 8-K - Current report

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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 1, 2024

 

 

Ponce Financial Group, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Maryland			001-41255	87-1893965
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)			(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
2244 Westchester Avenue
Bronx, New York				10462
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)				(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: [phone]

 

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

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))

Securities registered pursuant to 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		PDLB		The Nasdaq Global Market

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 Changes in Registrants' Certifying Accountant.

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. (the “Company”), the holding company for Ponce Bank (the "Bank"), was notified that Mazars USA LLP ("Mazars"), the Company's independent registered public accounting firm, entered into a transaction with FORVIS, LLP ("FORVIS") whereby substantially all of the partners and employees of Mazars joined FORVIS. As a result on the effective date of June 1, 2024, FORVIS, LLP changed its name to Forvis Mazars, LLP ("Forvis Mazars") and Mazars resigned as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors has appointed Forvis Mazars to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm effective June 1, 2024.

 

The audit report of Mazars on the financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2023, 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.

 

During the Company's fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the subsequent period through the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K, there were (i) no disagreements (as such term is used in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K) between the Company and Mazars on any matters of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures, which disagreement(s), if not resolved to the satisfaction of Mazars, would have caused Mazars to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement(s) in connection with its report on the Company's financial statements and (ii) no reportable events within the meaning set forth in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

 

During the Company's fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the subsequent period through the date of this report, neither the Company nor any party acting on behalf of the Company consulted with Forvis Mazars regarding any of the matters set forth in Items 304(a)(2)(i) and (ii) of Regulation S-K.

 

The Company has provided Mazars a copy of the disclosures in this Form 8-K and has requested that Mazars furnish it with a letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether or not Mazars agrees with the Company's statements in this Item 4.01. A copy of the letter dated June 4, 2024 furnished by Mazars in response to that request is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)Exhibits.

 

As described in Item 4.01 of this Report, the following is filed as part of this Current Report on Form 8-K:

Exhibit Number		Description
16.1		Letter of Mazars USA LLP to the Securities and Exchange Commission dated June 4, 2024
104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL)

 

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SIGNATURE

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 thereunto duly authorized.

			Ponce Financial Group, Inc.
Date:	June 4, 2024	By:	/s/ Carlos P. Naudon
			Carlos P. Naudon President and Chief Executive Officer

 

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Exhibit 16.1

 

 

June 4, 2024

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE

Washington, DC 20549

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have read Item 4.01 of Form 8-K dated June 4, 2024 of Ponce Financial Group, Inc. and are in agreement with the statements therein concerning Mazars USA LLP. We have no basis to agree or disagree with other statements of the registrant contained therein.

 

 

 

/s/ Mazars USA LLP

New York, New York

 

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Document And Entity Information	Jun. 01, 2024
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Jun. 01, 2024
Entity Registrant Name	Ponce Financial Group, Inc.
Entity Central Index Key	0001874071
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity File Number	001-41255
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	MD
Entity Tax Identification Number	87-1893965
Entity Address, Address Line One	2244 Westchester Avenue
Entity Address, City or Town	Bronx
Entity Address, State or Province	NY
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	10462
City Area Code	(718)
Local Phone Number	931-9000
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Common stock, par value $0.01 per share
Trading Symbol	PDLB
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ

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