McCormick & Company Changes Auditor Ahead of Unilever Foods Acquisition

What Happened
McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) announced on Sept. 24, 2026 that its Audit Committee dismissed Ernst & Young LLP (EY) as the company’s independent registered public accounting firm because EY is not expected to be independent after the anticipated closing of McCormick’s planned acquisition of Unilever’s foods business (announced Mar. 31, 2026). EY’s dismissal will be effective upon filing McCormick’s Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended Nov. 30, 2026. The Audit Committee approved engaging KPMG LLP as the new independent auditor for the fiscal year ending Nov. 30, 2027, subject to standard acceptance procedures and an engagement letter.

Key Details

• Date of Audit Committee action: Sept. 24, 2026; EY letter to the SEC dated Sept. 28, 2026 filed as Exhibit 16.1.
• EY’s audit reports for fiscal years ended Nov. 30, 2024 and Nov. 30, 2025 were unqualified (no adverse opinion, disclaimers, or modifications).
• No disagreements or reportable events with EY for FY2024, FY2025, or the interim period through the 8‑K date.
• KPMG had not provided audit or accounting consultation to McCormick during FY2024, FY2025, or the interim period through the 8‑K date.

Why It Matters
An auditor change tied to independence concerns reflects the material impact of McCormick’s planned Unilever foods acquisition on compliance and reporting relationships. Because EY’s prior audits were clean and the company reports no disagreements or reportable events, there is no immediate indication of past accounting problems. Investors should review McCormick’s upcoming Form 10‑K (fiscal year ended Nov. 30, 2026) for final audit disclosures and any transition-related notes, and monitor for any commentary on audit fees, accounting impacts from the transaction, or changes in financial reporting related to the Unilever deal.