FS Introduction
Liquidity
This refers to the “closeness to cash” of the assets and liabilities of a company, or the ability to pay debts when they are due.
FS Introduction
Solvency
The companys ability to pay its debts as they fall due.
FS Introduction
Supplementary Schedules
Another source of financial info (not the same as the footnotes). These are extra unaudited figures produced by a company outside the FS such as an oil and gas reserves report.
FS Introduction
Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A)
Definition
Issues included
Another source of information outside of the FS, for public companies only and not audited.
Requires management to discuss specific issues such as:
FS Introduction
Audit
Disclaimer of Opinion
When the auditor was not able to complete their audit in order to produce an unqualified, qualified or adverse audit opinion.
FS Introduction
Audit
Sarbanes Oxley Requirement for internal controls
Name of the oversight body
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).
PCAOB Auditing Standard #2 requires audit firms to present an additional disclosure regarding its assessment of the auditees internal controls over the financial reporting process.
FS Introduction
FS Analysis Framework
6 steps
FS Introduction
Standard Setting Bodies
IASB - full name
Number of members - full & part time
Purpose
Principle or rule based focus
US version
International Accounting Standards Board
14 members (12 full time, 2 part time)
Purpose is the harmonisation of international accounting rules, via introducing global standards rather than direct harmonisation.
Principles based focus.
US version is Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).
FS Introduction
Standard Setting Bodies
IOSCI - full name
3 aims
US version
International Organisation of Securities Commissions.
US version is the SEC
FS Introduction
Financial Reporting
IFRS Key qualitative characteristics
2 main ones (and sub-points)
2 secondary ones
Secondary:
FS Introduction
Financial Reporting
2 underlying assumptions
FS Introduction
Financial Reporting
IAS 1: Purpose
Prescribes the basis for preparation of the companies financial statements to ensure comparability with prior periods and other companies.
FS Introduction
Financial Reporting
IAS 1 Components of Financial Statements
FS Introduction
Financial Reporting
IAS 1: Fundamental Principles
PGACM
FS Introduction
Financial Reporting
IAS 1: Presentation Requirements
FS Introduction
Financial Reporting
3 characteristics of effective financial reporting frameworks
FS Introduction
Financial Reporting
3 conflicts between financial reporting frameworks
FS Introduction
Financial Reporting
Areas of attention for analysts relating to accounting standards
Income Statement
Revenue Recognition
When can revenue be recognised?
When it is:
Income Statement
Revenue Recognition
Long-term contract revenue
IFRS vs US GAAP differences
If the outcome of the contract can be reliably measured then:
Otherwise:
If a loss is expected:
Income Statement
Revenue Recognition
Long term contracting revenue
What is the completed contract method?
When is it used?
Conservative method where no revenue is recognised until contract is completed and title is transferred.
Used where:
Income Statement
Revenue Recognition
Installment Sales
Recognises revenue and associated cost of goods sold only when cash is received. Used if the cost to provide goods is known but collectability of revenue or sales proceeds can’t be determined.
Profit is recognised along with revenue since cost of sales is known.
For example real estate sales, it is hard to estimate what price you will sell new properties for.
Income Statement
Revenue Recognition
Cost Recovery method
Similar to but more conservative than sales installment method, for use when cost of sales is also difficult to estimate.
In this case revenue is recognised when cash is received, but no gross profit is recognised until all related costs have been collected.
Income Statement
Revenue Recognition
Barter Sales
Definition and treatment according to FASB
This is when companies exchange services, typical example is web companies exchanging advertising on each others websites. They may wish to recognise a large revenue and equal offsetting expense in the I/S.
FASB says this can only be done if a fair value can be determined based on the companies own historical realised cash for similar services, unrelated to barter transactions.