Update 06/11/2024 – When discussing sales figures for the second financial quarter, Supermicro’s future remains unclear. When an analyst asked when the server company would file its annual report and appoint a new auditor, the company refused to respond.
Time is running out for Supermicro to come up with a solution. This month, the server maker must file its financial documents. If it fails, the company may lose its Nasdaq listing. This is a meaningful stock exchange for Supermicro, as it trades the largest tech companies in the world.
Financial expectations are also disappointing. For the second quarter, Supermicro is counting on revenue between $5.5 billion (5.1 billion euros) and $6.1 billion, while market analysts expected $6.86 billion. Partly because of this, the shares fell more than 15 per cent in pre-hours trading.
Original – Auditor EY is “unwilling to be associated with the financial statements prepared by management.” This news comes hard, especially after an August investigation that suggested accounting manipulation at Supermicro. A federal investigation is also reportedly currently underway. On the stock market, shares of the server manufacturer plummeted 33 percent.
EY was first appointed auditor for fiscal 2024. However, while preparing the financial statement, the accounting firm decided to withdraw. In addition to concerns about financial practices, EY also has doubts about board independence.
In July, EY warned of potential problems at Supermicro related to internal financial controls, governance and forthcomingness. Supermicro subsequently established a special audit committee to examine internal controls. Upon leaving, auditor EY stated, “We are resigning due to information that has recently come to our attention which has led us to no longer be able to rely on management’s and the Audit Committee’s representations.”
Did accounting fraud occur?
It’s unknown what exact information made EY decide to resign. However, there are suspicions about accounting manipulation in the market. In August, after three months of investigation, Hindenburg Research released a report. Based on interviews with former employees, industry experts, and internal records, Hindenburg Research found “evidence of undisclosed related party transactions, sanctions and export control failures, and customer issues.”
In addition, a federal investigation into Supermicro would now be underway. The company previously came under scrutiny from regulators for its accounting practices. It then paid more than 10 million euros to the U.S. stock market watchdog because its sales figures were incorrect. Accounting scandals have proven fatal for several companies in the past.
Supermicro and EY have not yet commented further on the current news.