UNITED STATES
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):
June 21, 2002
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Commission File Number 1-8002
THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)
Delaware 04-2209186
(State or other jurisdiction of (IRS Employer Identification Number)
incorporation)
81 Wyman Street, P.O. Box 9046 02454-9046
Waltham, Massachusetts (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)
(781) 622-1000
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION
Item 4. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant
On June 21, 2002, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of
Thermo Electron Corporation (the "Company") decided to no longer engage Arthur
Andersen LLP ("Arthur Andersen" or "AA") as the Company's independent public
accountants and engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ("PwC") to serve as the
Company's independent public accountants for the fiscal year 2002.
Arthur Andersen's reports on the Company's consolidated financial
statements for each of the last two completed fiscal years did not contain an
adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as
to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles, except for an explanatory
paragraph concerning the adoption of Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101, "Revenue
Recognition in Financial Statements," and Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Activities."
During the last two completed fiscal years and through the date
hereof, there were no disagreements with Arthur Andersen on any matter of
accounting principle or practice, financial statement disclosure, or auditing
scope or procedure which, if not resolved to AA's satisfaction, would have
caused them to make reference to the subject matter in connection with their
report on the Company's consolidated financial statements for such years; and
there were no reportable events as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation
S-K.
The Company provided Arthur Andersen with a copy of the foregoing
disclosures. Attached as Exhibit 16 is a copy of AA's letter, dated June 25,
2002, stating its agreement with such statements.
During the last two completed fiscal years and through the date
hereof, the Company did not consult PwC with respect to 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
consolidated financial statements, or any other matters or reportable events as
set forth in Items 304(a)(2)(i) and (ii) of Regulation S-K.
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(c) Exhibit
Exhibit 16 Letter from Arthur Andersen LLP to the Securities
and Exchange Commission, dated June 25, 2002.
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THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION
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 as of the 26th day of June 2002.
Thermo Electron Corporation
/s/ Theo Melas-Kyriazi
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Theo Melas-Kyriazi
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
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THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number Description
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16 Letter from Arthur Andersen LLP to the Securities and Exchange
Commission, dated June 25, 2002.
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