The Big Four accounting firms experienced shifting revenues across different geographical regions of the world, according to a new study.
The study, “The 2011 Big Four Firms Performance Analysis,” by the accounting-oriented social networking site Big4.com, analyzed the financial and operating performance of the four largest accounting firms. The analysis shows the firms enjoyed outstanding revenue growth from 2010 to 2011 after a severe revenue decline in 2009, and stabilization in 2010 after a 2009 downturn that marked an abrupt reversal of five straight years of double-digit revenue growth.
At Deloitte, revenues in India and Australia grew more than 25 percent. Deloitte China grew 8.3 percent. Brazil and Chile grew in excess of 20 percent. Deloitte’s U.S. and Canadian firms also posted exceptional growth, as did member firms in the Middle East, Sweden, Turkey and Norway.
But despite impressive growth in consulting, audit, tax and financial advisory services, Deloitte was unable to maintain its lead over PricewaterhouseCoopers to continue to be the largest Big Four firm in the world. Deloitte’s 2011 revenues of $28.8 billion fell behind PwC’s 2011 revenues of $29.2 billion by $420 million, after leading PwC in 2010 by $9 million, or 0.03 percent. PwC’s performance in 2011 put it back in leadership position.
The Europe, Middle East and Africa region had the highest percentage of total revenues for the Big Four firms, averaging 43 percent of total worldwide revenues. The Americas region averaged about 40 percent of total worldwide revenues, and the Asia Pacific countries (including India, South Asia, China, North Asia and Australia) had the remaining 17 percent share of revenue.
Demand for services from the Big Four in the Asia Pacific region have grown at a high rate each year since 2004, with combined revenues there more than doubling from $7 billion in 2004 to $17 billion in 2011. Overall, revenues in the region increased 17.4 percent from 2010 to 2011, with Ernst & Young up 16.6 percent, KPMG up 16.6 percent, Deloitte rising 16.7 percent and PwC posting a 20.7 percent rise in revenue from 2010 to 2011.
For a copy of the full study, visit
