E&Y Holds Title as Largest Auditor of Benefit Plans
Ernst & Young is the leading audit firm when it comes to auditing benefit plans in the most recent benefit plan auditor analysis, compiled by AuditAnalytics.com and analyzed by ANR.
The firm audits 198 total benefit plans, good for an overall share of 14.1%. E&Y also holds the largest number of unique benefit plans with 150.
KPMG, third in last year’s analysis, leapfrogged over Deloitte for the runner-up spot in this year’s analysis with an 11.3% overall share.
Deloitte came in third in the analysis close on KPMG’s heels with approximately 11% of the benefit plans in the analysis.
PwC rounds out the top four with 125 of the total benefit plans audited, good for an 8.9% share.
The unique benefit count "standings" shake out similarly to the total standings. KPMG holds the second largest count in unique benefit plans with 120. Deloitte is third with 96 and PwC finished fourth with 85. (See chart, page 7.)
The Big Four firms audit 45.2% of the total benefit plans included in the analysis and 42.1% of the unique benefit plans in the analysis.
Crowe Horwath, No. 5 overall, holds the largest count of total benefit plans audited, 49, among non-Big Four audit firms and the largest amount of unique benefit plans, among non-Big Four auditors, with 42.
Grant Thornton and BDO USA followed close behind in total benefit plan audits with 43 and 40, respectively. The firm’s swapped positions in terms of unique benefit plan audits. BDO has 34 and GT 32
McGladrey & Pullen, BKD, Dixon Hughes and ParenteBeard rounded out the top 10 in audits of total benefit plans. Dixon Hughes and ParenteBeard tied for the tenth spot in total benefit plan audits. (See chart, p. 7.)
Editor’s Note:
The analysis does not include 11-K’s filed only in paper form.
This is an excerpt of the story that was published in the May 4, 2012 issue of Accounting News Report.
The published story had charts with overall rankings by benefit plans audited both unique and total and market share charts.
For more information on Accounting News Report: contact Jonathan Hamilton 702-283-9985.
Email: jonathan.hamilton@accountingnewsreport.com