PAR Top 100 List Shows Effects of Consolidators

It's no surprise that the Big 5 are on top of Public Accounting Report's Top 100 for 1999. What may surprise you is who's not on the Atlanta-based newsletter's exclusive survey.

At least 12 firms that ranked in the Top 100 in 1998 dropped off the list this year due to consolidation activity. McGladrey & Pullen, ranked as the nation's seventh-largest accounting firm last year, is one of the largest affected.

McGladrey & Pullen and others didn't make the list because audit services must be offered by a firm to be included in PAR's Top 100. Consolidators carving out a "financial services" niche for themselves usually pitch the audit work and retain tax, consulting and other services after acquiring an accounting firm.

Andersen Worldwide topped the list with $6.83 billion of net revenue. PricewaterhouseCoopers followed in second place. Ernst & Young, Deloitte & Touche, and KPMG rounded out the top 5.

The Public Accounting Report is published by Strafford Publications, Inc. [1]. To obtain a copy of the Top 100, call 404.881.1141.