FEI Weekly

June 12, 2019

IBM's CEO says this is dividing America, plus these 8 companies have the best 401(K) plans.

IBM CEO: Job Skills are Dividing the Country

Fortune

“I believe so much of the division in our country and other countries roots down to this skills issue,” IBM CEO Ginni Rometty said Monday evening at Fortune’s CEO Initiative. The challenge, as Rometty described it, is to make the transformations of the digital era inclusive, “so people can participate in it and not feel threatened by it,” she said.

3 Challenges Estimates Pose for Auditors

Journal of Accountancy

The biggest challenges with auditing accounting estimates are: determining whether the assumptions underlying those estimates are reasonable, internal controls, and understanding the data used to develop the estimate, particularly when a third-party specialist is involved. In light of the challenges that estimates pose for auditors, both the PCAOB and the IAASB recently released updates to their standards for auditing accounting estimates. 

Google and Salesforce Make Big Investments in Big Data

Market Watch

On Monday, Salesforce said it would buy business analytics software company Tableau Software for $15.7 billion in stock. That deal came just days after Alphabet Inc.'s Google said it would spend $2.6 billion in cash to buy startup business-analytics company Looker.

These 8 Companies Have the Best 401(k) Plans

Money

What makes a high-quality plan? Low fees, of course. And a good company match. Chick-fil-A, United Airlines, SAP America, Lone Pine Capital, Sutter Medical Group, SES Americom, Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., and Oglethorpe Power are among the companies with the best 401(k) plans.

What Employees Want (And Don't Want) This Summer

Fast Company

In a recent survey, Accountemps asked employees, “What is the best summer perk companies could offer?” 52% said flexible scheduling, followed by 27% who would love to be able to leave early on Fridays. Instead, 53% of companies cited a relaxed summer dress code as a perk they provide, and 48% noted a company picnic or potluck—two perks that employees care least about.