The Big 4 Accounting Firms #infographic

Published by Web Desk Friday, May 29, 2015

The continually expanding accounting industry is dominated by just four massive companies. Deloitte, PwC, Ernst and Young, and KPMG combine to bring in close to $125 Billion of the $150 Billion total accounting revenue worldwide, despite there being thousands of competing public accountancy firms.

In fact, the smallest of The Big 4, KPMG, earns more money than next 15 firms on the list, combined. How did these companies get so large? Over the last 40 years, the largest twenty firms have continued to merge with one another, acquire additional firms, or go out of business. By 1987, that group of firms had narrowed down to just eight.

In 1989, The Big 8, become The Big 6 with the merger of Touche Ross and Deloitte Haskins & Sells, as well as the the merger of Arthur Young & Co and Ernst & Whinney. In 1998, another merger, caused The Big 6, to shrink to The Big 5. Finally, in 2002, with yet another merger, those five firms become the Big 4. Today we take a closer look at who these firms are, how much money they make, and how fast they continue to grow. We hope you enjoy.

Infographic by: big4accountingfirms

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