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) October 14, 2003
SPRINT RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN
FOR BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Kansas 1-04721 48-0457967
(State of Incorporation) (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
6200 Sprint Parkway, Overland Park, Kansas 66251
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (913) 624-3000
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
P. O. Box 7997, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66207-0997
(Mailing address of principal executive offices)
Item 4. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.
On October 14, 2003, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of
Sprint Corporation ("Sprint") determined that Sprint's independent auditor,
Ernst & Young LLP ("Ernst & Young"), would be replaced by KPMG LLP ("KPMG") as
the independent auditor for Sprint and for the Sprint Retirement Savings Plan
for Bargaining Unit Employees ("Plan") for the year ending December 31, 2004.
Ernst & Young will continue as Sprint's and the Plan's independent auditor for
the year ending December 31, 2003. Ernst & Young was notified of this decision
on October 14, 2003.
KPMG's appointment is subject to the completion of KPMG's client acceptance
and transition procedures.
Ernst & Young's reports on the Plan's financial statements as of December
31, 2002 and 2001 and for each of the two fiscal years in the period ended
December 31, 2002 did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion
and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting
principles. During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2001 and 2002 and through
the date of this Form 8-K, there were no disagreements between Sprint or the
Plan and Ernst & Young on any matter of accounting principles or practices,
financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures, which, if not
resolved to the satisfaction of Ernst & Young, would have caused Ernst & Young
to make reference to the matter in their report. None of the "reportable events"
described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K of the Securities and Exchange
Commission have occurred during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2001 or 2002
or through the date of this Form 8-K.
Sprint has requested Ernst & Young to furnish the Plan with a letter
addressed to the Commission stating whether Ernst & Young agrees with the above
statements. A copy of Ernst & Young's letter, dated October 17, 2003, is
attached as Exhibit 16 to this Form 8-K.
During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2001 and 2002 and through the
date of this Form 8-K, neither Sprint nor the Plan nor anyone acting on their
behalf consulted KPMG regarding (1) either 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 Plan's financial statements or
(2) any matter that was either the subject of a disagreement with Ernst & Young
on accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or
auditing scope or procedures, which, if not resolved to the satisfaction of
Ernst & Young, would have caused Ernst & Young to make reference to the matter
in their report, or a "reportable event" as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of
Regulation S-K of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Item 7. Exhibits.
16. Letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission from Ernst & Young.
1
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.
SPRINT RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN
FOR BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES
Date: October 17, 2003 By: /s/ Gene M. Betts
Gene M. Betts
Pension and Savings Trusts Committee Member
2
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
Number Description Page
16. Letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission
from Ernst & Young.