UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 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) December 22, 2020

MERIDIAN BIOSCIENCE, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Ohio	0-14902	31-0888197
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

3471 River Hills Drive Cincinnati, Ohio	45244
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (513) 271-3700

(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 (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))

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, no par value	VIVO	NASDAQ Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17CFR §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.

Following a request for proposal (RFP) process, effective December 22, 2020 (the “Effective Date”), the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (“Board”) of Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (“Meridian” or the “Company”) selected Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s fiscal year ending September 30, 2021. The Audit Committee dismissed Grant Thornton LLP (“Grant Thornton”), the Company’s current independent registered public accounting firm, effective as of the Effective Date.

Grant Thornton’s reports on the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles. During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, and the subsequent interim period through the Effective Date, there were: (i) no disagreements within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions between the Company and Grant Thornton on any matters of accounting principles or practices, consolidated financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure which, if not resolved to Grant Thornton’s satisfaction, would have caused Grant Thornton to make reference thereto in their reports; and (ii) no “reportable events” within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

The Company has requested that Grant Thornton furnish a letter addressed to the Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether or not it agrees with the above statements, and, if not, stating the respects in which it does not agree. A copy of Grant Thornton’s letter, dated December 28, 2020, is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this Form 8-K.

During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 and the subsequent interim period through the Effective Date, neither the Company nor anyone on its behalf has consulted with EY regarding: (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 nor oral advice was provided to the Company that EY concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing, or financial reporting issue; (ii) any matter that was the subject of a disagreement within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions; or (iii) any “reportable event” within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)    Exhibits

16.1	Letter from Grant Thornton LLP
104	Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

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.

	MERIDIAN BIOSCIENCE, INC.
Date: December 30, 2020	By:	/s/ Bryan T. Baldasare
		Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
		(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)