Study: SOX spending nears $6 billion.

• Position: National

Companies will spend $5.8 billion on SOX compliance in 2005, according to a new report by AMR Research.

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Despite initial thoughts that Sarbanes-Oxley spending would be a one-time expenditure, only 12 percent of companies plan on reducing SOX spending while 88 percent will maintain or increase spending on compliance.

Over the next year, the study estimates expenditures will occur in four key areas. They include:

* 42 percent on internal labor/headcount.

* 29 percent on outsourced services.

* 28 percent on technology.

* 1 percent on other compliance issues.

Though technology garners just over a...