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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
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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 10, 2000
Exide Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
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Delaware 1-11263 23-0552730
(State of Incorporation) (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)
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645 Penn Street, Reading, Pennsylvania, 19601
(Address of Principal Executive offices)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (610) 378-0500
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Item 4. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.
(a) Previous independent accountants
1. On July 10, 2000, Exide Corporation ("Exide") dismissed Arthur
Andersen LLP ("AA") as its independent accountants.
2. The reports of AA on Exide's consolidated financial statements for
the fiscal years ended March 31, 2000 and 1999 did not contain an
adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or
modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles.
3. Exide's Audit Committee recommended the decision to change
independent accountants and the Board of Directors approved the
change.
4. In connection with its audits for the two most recent fiscal years
and through July 10, 2000, there have been no disagreements with AA
on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial
statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which
disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of AA, would have
caused AA to make reference to the subject matter of the
disagreements in connection with its report on the financial
statements for those years.
5. During the two most recent fiscal years and through July 10, 2000,
there have been no reportable events (as defined in Regulation S-K
Item 304(a)(1)(v)).
6. Exide has requested that AA furnish a letter addressed to the
Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether it agrees with
the above statements. A copy of this letter, dated July 10, 2000 is
filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this Form 8-K.
(b) New independent accountants
1. Exide engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ("PWC") as its new
independent accountants as of July 10, 2000.
2. During the two most recent fiscal years and through July 10, 2000,
Exide has not consulted PWC regarding either (i) the application of
accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed
or proposed; or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on
Exide's financial statements, and in no case was a written report
provided to Exide nor was oral advice provided that PWC concluded
was an important factor considered by Exide in reaching a decision
as to an accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue; or (ii)
any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement (as defined
in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related
instructions) or a reportable event (as described in Regulation S-K
Item 304(a)(1)(v)).
Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits
16.1 Letter from Arthur Andersen LLP dated July 10, 2000.
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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 hereunto duly authorized.
EXIDE CORPORATION
By: /s/ Kevin R. Morano
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Kevin R. Morano
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Date: July 10, 2000
