FEI Weekly

August 8, 2017

The most profitable private companies in 2017, Merck to move accounting team to shared service centers, and concerns over stated vs. adjusted operating profits in the UK.

Merck to Move Accounting, Book-Keeping to Poland, Philippines

WSJ (Subscription may be required)

The German pharmaceutical giant is relocating parts of its accounting and book-keeping team to shared service centers in Poland and the Philippines to cut costs.

The Most Profitable Private Companies in 2017

Fox News

Accounting, real estate and legal services were the three most profitable industries over the past 12 months, according to new research.

Investors Fear Use of Clever Accounting to Trip Bonuses

Financial Times

The concerns come as research shows the difference between stated and adjusted operating profits for the UK’s top-100 quoted companies is at 51 per cent — the widest gap in a decade.

Brave New World: How Auditor Responsibilities Are Changing

Accountancy Age

High-profile corporate scandals have led to considerable shareholder and wider stakeholder losses. Consequently, public trust in business has fallen sharply – and auditors have not been exempt.

How Smart Should a Leader Be?

Psychology Today

New research examines the link between leadership and intelligence.