Audit Services Procurement Category Market Research Report from IBISWorld has Been Updated
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 11, 2014 -- Audit services have a buyer power score of 2.5 out of 5. This score reflects a relatively low purchasing power among buyers. Purchasers of audit solutions are challenged by the low availability of substitutes, high service specialization and significant switching costs. “On the bright side, vendor financial risk is negligible, providing some relief to buyers,” says IBISWorld business research analyst Agiimaa Kruchkin.
The pricing environment has largely undermined buyer power in the past three years. During the three years to 2014, audit service prices have trended upward at a moderate rate due to a steady stream of demand, while experiencing a medium level of price driver volatility. Over the next three years, service price growth is anticipated to accelerate, further limiting buyer power. As a result, buyers will benefit from establishing multiyear service agreements, hence locking in the current rate for the duration of the contract. Longer-term engagements may also have the added benefit of improving audit quality over the term of the agreement.
The mandatory nature of audit solutions has fueled demand for the service and, hence, boosted service prices. External demand drivers have also driven demand for audits in the past three years. For example, the number of initial public offerings (IPOs) is expected to increase robustly in the three years to 2014, fueling service prices. “Similarly, the growing number of businesses and the rising value of trade have further necessitated audit solutions,” says Kruchkin.
Some product characteristics are also not conducive to buyer power. Audit services have a long buying lead time, often involving an audit committee that is outside of the procurement department's scope. There are also high risks associated with selecting the wrong provider, and in certain high-pressure scenarios, such as mergers and acquisitions (M&As) or IPOs, buyers tend to go with the market leaders and pay higher prices for the associated credibility. Finally, measuring service quality is difficult and a poor audit may not be apparent until later. Fortunately, best practice suggests that audit providers are retained for about five years, which means buyers do not have to repeat this process very often. Major vendors include BDO USA LLP, BKD LLP, Crowe Horwath LLP and Deloitte. For more information, visit IBISWorld’s Audit Services procurement category market research report page.
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IBISWorld Procurement Report Key Topics
This report is intended to assist buyers of audit services. Audit service providers are accountants certified to review the accounting records of public and private organizations and to attest to compliance with generally accepted accounting practices. Auditors are usually part of offices of certified public accountants (CPAs) and provide auditing financial statements and advice on matters related to accounting. Auditors are expected to be entirely independent of the companies or organizations they audit. They should present an unbiased and skeptical evaluation of the audited company’s financial condition and statements for shareholders and other interested parties. This report does not include tax accounting services.
Executive Summary
Pricing Environment
Price Fundamentals
Benchmark Price
Pricing Model
Price Drivers
Recent Price Trend
Price Forecast
Product Characteristics
Product Life Cycle
Total Cost of Ownership
Product Specialization
Substitute Goods
Regulation
Quality Control
Supply Chain & Vendors
Supply Chain Dynamics
Supply Chain Risk
Imports
Competitive Environment
Market Share Concentration
Market Profitability
Switching Costs
Purchasing Process
Buying Basics
Buying Lead Time
Selection Process
Key RFP Elements
Negotiation Questions
Buyer Power Factors
Key Statistics
About IBISWorld Inc.
IBISWorld is one of the world's leading publishers of business intelligence, specializing in Industry research and Procurement research. Since 1971, IBISWorld has provided thoroughly researched, accurate and current business information. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, IBISWorld’s procurement research reports equip clients with the insight necessary to make better purchasing decisions, faster. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld Procurement serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.com or call 1-800-330-3772.
Gavin Smith, IBISWorld Inc., +1 (310) 866-5042, [email protected]
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