Big four releases SOX 404 report.

• Position: Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, compliance costs decrease - Brief article

Total year-two SOX Sec. 404 compliance costs are expected to decline substantially for both large and small companies, according to a study commissioned by the Big Four.

According to the study, total Sec. 404 implementation costs for larger companies declined 44 percent in 2005 to $4.8 million. For smaller companies, the projected decline is 31 percent to $860,000.

The primary reason for the cost declines include increased efficiency...