Audit watchdog beefs up standards in response to corporate failures September 30, 2019 Accountancy regulator the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) today announced it was beefing up audit standards in response to a string of major corporate failures. The FRC said it was introducing a new standard related to going concern status, where auditors judge a company’s financial position. Outsourcer Carillion and department store chain BHS both received clean [...]
Wells Fargo poaches BNY Mellon chief executive September 27, 2019 Wells Fargo has named BNY Mellon boss Charles Scharf as its new chief executive. Scharf will join the firm in October, making him the lender’s third chief executive since the bank became embroiled in a sales scandal in 2016. Read more: Wells Fargo outperforms estimates as profits climb Scharf, who was chief executive at BNY [...]
How can online-only banks win over cautious consumers? September 27, 2019 The direction of travel for banking is clear – we’re moving away from highstreets and onto smartphones. But tech should not outpace consumer confidence, and lessons on how to do that can be drawn from the payments industry. This week Which? reported that a third of UK bank branches have closed in the last five [...]
Foxtons chair steps down after turbulent year September 26, 2019 The chair of Foxtons said he would step down this morning after half a dozen years at the head of he board during which the share price has plummeted. Gary Watts will have stepped down by the time the real estate agent holds its annual general meeting in May next year. Read more: Foxtons sales [...]
Thomas Cook teeters on brink as eleventh hour talks look likely to end in failure September 22, 2019 Thomas Cook was close to collapsing into administration tonight as eleventh hour talks with its lenders looked set to end in failure. The company’s creditors and the government were tonight anticipating that the world’s oldest travel operator would announce it was ceasing trading tomorrow, Sky News reported. Big Four accountancy firm KPMG was tonight being [...]
PwC partner profits jump to £765,000 despite criticism for poor quality of audit work September 16, 2019 Partner profits at PwC UK increased 7.4 per cent to £765,000 this year, despite the firm receiving a dressing down from the regulator for the decline in the quality of its audit work. Profit for the year to 30 June increased to £1.016bn, up from £935m the previous year. Revenue leapt 12 per cent to [...]
Housebuilder stocks facing a Brexit wrecking ball? September 16, 2019 The construction sector seems to be freezing ahead of a potential Brexit. Are investors right to be fleeing housebuilder stocks? The housing sector has been affected throughout the Brexit process, with demand, supply, prices and overall transactions shaken up in the wake of the 2016 referendum. It has not been a straight path for the [...]
Senior KPMG restructuring partners set for 25 per cent pay rise to stave-off break up September 15, 2019 Senior partners in KPMG’s restructuring division have received a 25 per cent pay rise as the accountancy giant tries to prevent a potential break-up, it was reported this weekend. The Big Four accountancy firm, which has been involved in high-profile business failures, including the collapse of outsourcer Carillion in January 2018, had been holding talks [...]
Clintons signs up advisers as greeting card stalwart eyes potential sale September 13, 2019 The owners of greeting card chain Clintons have called in advisers as they weigh up a potential sale of the business. The Weiss family, which previously controlled US firm American Greetings, has appointed professional services giant KPMG to oversee a review of strategic options. Read more: Card Factory delivers sales rise despite challenging consumer market [...]
Sports Direct pleads with big four auditors to check its books September 10, 2019 Sports Direct, the retailer founded by Mike Ashley, is pleading with the big four accountancy firms to audit its books as it worries smaller accountants would not be up to the task. Over the last fortnight the company has sent overtures to the auditors ahead of its annual general meeting tomorrow, Sky News reported. Grant [...]