WRS

Name

WRS

Legal name

Way, Ray, Shelton & Co., P.C.

Website

https://wrscpa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tuscaloosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Assurance Services: Audit, review, and compilation services providing varying levels of financial statement assurance to clients
2. Tax Services: Tax compliance, planning, and strategy for individuals, corporations, partnerships, trusts, and estates including federal, state, and local tax guidance
3. Employee Benefit Plan Services: Administration and auditing of employee benefit plans including 401(k), profit sharing, IRA, SEP, SIMPLE, health and welfare, and cafeteria plans
4. Financial Advisory Services: Fee-only investment advisory services through WRS Financial Services, LLC, an RIA registered with Alabama Securities Commission providing objective financial planning and investment advice
5. IT Consulting Services: Technology consulting services through Way, Ray, Shelton Systems subsidiary including computer consulting, network design, software consulting, and system implementation for CPA firms and other clients

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

WRS is a full-service public accounting firm offering assurance services (audit, review, and compilation), corporate and individual tax compliance and planning, employee benefit plan audits, fee-only investment advisory through its WRS Financial Services, LLC subsidiary (registered with the Alabama Securities Commission), and IT consulting through its Way, Ray, Shelton Systems subsidiary. The firm also maintains a specialized media-industry practice providing transactional accounting, due diligence, and ownership-structure services to newspaper and media clients across 37 U.S. states.

Product overview

WRS (Way Ray Shelton) is a full-service accounting firm offering a portfolio of professional services organized across multiple divisions. The core offerings include Assurance Services (Audit, Review, and Compilation at different assurance levels), Tax Services (Corporate/Partnership and Individual), and Employee Benefit Plan Audits. The firm operates WRS Financial Services, LLC as a registered investment advisor subsidiary providing fee-only financial planning. Additionally, Way, Ray, Shelton Systems serves as an IT subsidiary offering computer and software consulting services, including network design, hardware installation, and accounting system implementations. The firm also maintains a specialized Media Industry vertical serving media clients across 37 states with transactional and compliance services. The overall portfolio operates as a unified professional services firm with specialized divisions rather than a single software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Audit Services Provides the highest level of assurance through methodical review and objective examination of financial statements, including verification of specific information, review of internal controls, testing of selected transactions, and communication with third parties. For businesses, organizations, and benefit plan sponsors requiring audited financial statements.
• Review Services Provides limited assurance on financial statements through analytical procedures and inquiries of company management—more extensive than compilation but less than an audit. For businesses that need moderate assurance without full audit-level procedures.
• Compilation Services Presents financial information as the representation of management without expressing any opinion or assurance, relying on knowledge of accounting principles and general understanding of the business. For entities needing externally prepared financial statements without assurance.
• Corporate and Partnership Tax Services Tax compliance, strategy, IRS examination support, like-kind exchanges, planning for business mergers, and tax forecasts and projections for businesses and partnerships across federal, state, and local jurisdictions.
• Individual Tax Services Tax planning services for individuals including year-end planning, tax projections and estimates, evaluation of tax credits, and estate and gift tax return preparation to reduce tax burden on income, estate, gifts, investments, and retirement distributions.
• Employee Benefit Plan Audits Comprehensive employee benefit plan services including audit, setup, administration, day-to-day operations, distributions, contribution calculations, participant statements, and Form 5500 preparation for profit sharing, 401(k), IRA, SEP, SIMPLE, health and welfare, and cafeteria plans. Required for plans with 100+ participants.
• WRS Financial Services, LLC Fee-only Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) registered with the Alabama Securities Commission, providing objective financial planning and investment advice without commissions, focused on holistic financial planning and coordination with clients' broader financial team.
• Way, Ray, Shelton Systems (IT Consulting) Information Technology subsidiary offering computer consulting (system evaluations, network design, hardware installation, network integration, internet solutions) and software consulting (data conversion, accounting systems evaluations, technical support, data backup and recovery) for clients and CPA firms. Includes Microsoft Certified Professional expertise and QuickBooks specialization.
• Media Industry Services Specialized accounting and business services for media clients across the United States, including transactional services for acquisitions, sales, mergers, split-offs, like-kind exchanges, due diligence, ownership structure, sales tax issues, financial projections, and financing assistance for newspapers and media companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Media clients served across 37 states
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SouthWarecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1995WRS Systems has partnered with SouthWare since 1995 for accounting systems evaluation, installation, and implementation. This long-standing partnership provides clients with reliable accounting software solutions and technical support.
• America's NewspaperscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRS is a proud member of America's Newspapers press association, the trade organization for newspaper publishers. This membership reinforces WRS's position as a specialized provider of accounting and business services to the media industry.
• AICPA Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRS is a member of the AICPA Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center, demonstrating commitment to quality standards and specialized expertise in employee benefit plan auditing for plans with 100+ participants.
• Alabama Society of CPAsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive membership in the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants demonstrates professional engagement and adherence to state professional standards.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Postlethwaite & Netterville: Mid-sized CPA firm with a long-standing media industry practice serving newspaper and broadcast clients across the southern US. Closely comparable in size, service mix, and reliance on a single industrial vertical similar to WRS's media niche.
• Eide Bailly: Regional CPA firm with a dedicated media and newspaper industry practice, serving publishers with assurance, tax, and advisory. Comparable to WRS in combining mid-size scale with deep vertical media specialization.
• WithumSmith+Brown: Mid-sized national CPA firm with a recognized media and entertainment practice serving publishers, broadcasters, and digital media companies. Compares to WRS on media industry focus, audit-led model, and middle-market client profile.
• Cherry Bekaert: Mid-sized regional CPA firm providing assurance, tax, and advisory to middle-market clients including media and consumer-facing businesses. Closely comparable in firm size and service-line breadth to WRS.
• Wipfli: Top-25 US accounting and advisory firm serving middle-market and consumer products clients. Comparable to WRS in multi-service middle-market positioning and advisory-led model, though larger and more geographically distributed.

Broad incumbents

• Moss Adams: Top-15 US accounting and advisory firm with an established media and consumer products industry practice. Overlaps with WRS in serving media clients but operates at materially larger scale with broader service offerings.
• BDO USA: Large global accounting network with a dedicated US media industry practice serving newspaper, broadcast, and digital media clients. Competes for the same media mandates as WRS but with full national coverage and significantly deeper resources.
• Crowe LLP: Top-10 US accounting firm with a media and consumer products practice serving publishing clients. Comparable to WRS in EBP audit expertise and media industry exposure, but operates at national scale.
• CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen): Top-10 US accounting and advisory firm serving media, consumer products, and middle-market clients. Overlaps with WRS on EBP audit specialization and mid-market assurance work but at materially larger scale.
• Plante Moran: Top-15 US accounting and business advisory firm with media and publishing industry experience. Competes for the same audit and tax mandates as WRS but with national offices and substantially deeper resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wrscpa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WRS