FILE PHOTO: Logos of Super Micro Computer are pictured at COMPUTEX Taipei, one of the world's largest computer and technology trade shows, in Taipei, Taiwan May 30, 2023. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
(Reuters) -Super Micro Computer said on Wednesday Ernst & Young had resigned as its auditor, sending its shares tumbling more than 30% and deepening investor worries about accounting practices at the artificial intelligence server maker.
The company in late August delayed the filing of its annual report, citing a need to assess "its internal controls over financial reporting", after Hindenburg Research disclosed a short position and made claims of "accounting manipulation".
Super Micro disclosed on Wednesday EY had in late July raised concerns about its governance, transparency and internal control over financial reporting, after which the company appointed a special committee and began an investigation into the matter.
The accounting firm decided to resign after receiving additional information from the review process.
"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 and to be unwilling to be associated with the financial statements prepared by management," Super Micro quoted EY as saying in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commision.
Super Micro said it disagreed with the accounting firm's decision and does not expect the "resolution of any matters raised by EY" to result in the restatement of its quarterly reports for fiscal 2024 or prior fiscal years.
EY did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Super Micro was a big winner in the generative AI boom as businesses bet on the tech needed to power applications such as ChatGPT. The company's market value surged from roughly $4.4 billion at the beginning of 2023 to a March peak of $67 billion, before suffering a drop in recent months.
"As far as auditor statements go, E&Y's SMCI resignation letter is about as strongly worded as I have seen," Nathan Anderson, the founder of Hindenburg, said in a post on X.
The Wall Street Journal reported in late September that the U.S. Department of Justice was investigating Super Micro.
(Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas and Devika Syamnath)
