8-K

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):  March 14, 2019

Healthcare Trust, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Maryland	000-55201	38-3888962
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

405 Park Avenue, 3^rd Floor

New York, New York 10022

(Address, including zip code, of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 415-6500

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))

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.

On March 14, 2019, the audit committee of the board of directors of Healthcare Trust, Inc. (the “Company”) dismissed KPMG LLP (“KPMG”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and approved the engagement of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) as its new independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019.

KPMG’s audit reports on the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.

During the Company’s two most recent fiscal years and the period from January 1, 2019 through March 14, 2019: (i) there were no disagreements between the Company and KPMG on any matters of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of KPMG, would have caused KPMG to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement in its report on the Company’s consolidated financial statements; and (ii) there were no “reportable events” (as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).

The Company has provided KPMG with a copy of the foregoing statements and has requested and received from KPMG a copy of the letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating that KPMG agrees with the above statements. A copy of the letter from KPMG is attached as Exhibit 16.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Prior to engaging PwC, during the Company’s two most recent fiscal years and the period from January 1, 2019 through March 14, 2019, neither the Company nor anyone acting on behalf of the Company had 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 the Company’s financial statements, nor did PwC provide a written report or oral advice to the Company that PwC concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to the accounting, auditing or financial reporting issues; 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 Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K). 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)           Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Description
16.1	Letter from KPMG LLP to the Securities and Exchange Commission dated March 18, 2019.

SIGNATURES

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.

	HEALTHCARE TRUST, INC.
Date: March 18, 2019	By:	/s/ Edward M. Weil, Jr.
		Edward M. Weil, Jr. Chief Executive Officer and President (Principal Executive Officer)

EX-16.1

Exhibit 16.1

 

March 18, 2019

Securities and Exchange Commission

Washington, D.C. 20549

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We were previously principal accountants for Healthcare Trust, Inc. and, under the date of March 13, 2019, we reported on the consolidated financial statements of Healthcare Trust, Inc. as of and for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017. On March 15, 2019, we were dismissed. We have read Healthcare Trust, Inc.’s statements included under Item 4.01 of its Form 8-K dated March 18, 2019, and we agree with such statements, except that we are not in a position to agree or disagree with the statement that our dismissal and the engagement of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was approved by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, and we are not in a position to agree or disagree with the statement that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was not engaged regarding the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on Healthcare Trust, Inc.’s consolidated financial statements.

Very truly yours,

/s/ KPMG LLP