* CAMPBELL CANS PWC: Campbell Soup Co. dismissed Big Four firm PricewaterhouseCoopers as auditor for its savings plans, according to a federal filing.
The company, however, said that PwC would continue in its capacity as independent accountant for the company's financial statements.
No reason was given for the dismissal.
There were no adverse opinions on the plan's financial statements.
Campbell Soup said that the plans' administrative committee approved the hiring of Siegfried Group as auditor for the year ended Dec. 31, 2004.
* AMEX TAPS E&Y FOR FINANCIAL UNIT: The board at financial and credit card services conglomerate American Express Co. engaged Big Four firm Ernst & Young as auditor for its American Express Financial Advisors unit.
The company said that the board's decision was fueled by the planned spin-off of AEFA to shareholders, which was announced in February.
Minneapolis-based AEFA came under fire recently when the New Hampshire Bureau of Securities Regulation filed a petition for relief in the amount of $17.5 million after an audit revealed a disproportionate amount of American Express funds in clients' financial plans.
An investigation revealed management's support of advisors that promoted the firms' poorer performing funds, as opposed to those of competitors, and backed it up by offering more lucrative incentives for Amex products.
PricewaterhouseCoopers will remain the independent accountant for American Express Co. for fiscal 2005.
* BEST BUY ENGAGES DELOITTE: National consumer electronics retailer Best Buy has hired Big Four firm Deloitte & Touche as its new auditor, according to a federal filing.
Best Buy had previously reported that it would jettison its independent accountant, Ernst & Young, following the audit of its financials for the year ended Feb. 26.
Best Buy's fiscal year began Feb. 27.
