Discretion in accounting for pensions under IAS 19: using the ‘magic telescope’?

We use a panel data set of UK-listed companies over the period 2005 to 2009 to analyse the actuarial assumptions used to value pension plan liabilities under IAS 19. The valuation process requires companies to make assumptions about financial and demographic variables, notably discount rate, price inflation, salary inflation, and mortality/life expectancy of plan members/beneficiaries. We use regression analysis to analyse the relationships between these key assumptions (except mortality, where disclosures are limited) and company-specific factors such as the pension plan funding position and duration of pension liabilities. We find evidence of selective ‘management’ of the three assumptions investigated, although the nature of this appears to differ from the findings of US authors. We conclude that IAS 19 does not prevent the use of managerial discretion, particularly by companies whose pension plan funding positions are weak, thereby reducing the representational faithfulness of the reported pension figures. We also highlight that the degree of discretion used reflects the extent to which IAS 19 defines how the assumptions are to be determined. We therefore suggest that companies should be encouraged to justify more explicitly their choice of assumptions

Historical Costs versus Fair Value Measurement in Financial Accounting

There are two important points in which in which we need assets and liabilities measured in financial accounting: on initial recognition and at a balance sheet day. Many International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) used the fair value measurement concept. But most of these standards use the fair value measurement method only at a balance sheet day. On initial recognition assets and liabilities are measured usually at costs. The IASB presented the discussion paper “Measurement Bases for Financial Accounting – Measurement on Initial Recognition (2005)” which proposed fair value measurement on initial recognition for all assets and liabilities. This article is aimed on assessment of risks arising from extending fair value measurement using and on issue of fair value measurement in time of financial crisis

Impact of IFRS on Deferred Taxes Methodology in the Czech Republic and comparison with IFRS for SMEs

Investigating impact of IFRS on the accounting regulatory system in the Czech Republic, there should be highlighted that IFRS were introduced into the regulatory system gradually as a separate regulatory system for determined group of accounting entities, on the other hand IFRS have had influence on the development of the local accounting rules during last decade. It was awaited by practitioners and academics too, that the process of deferred taxes reform will be finalized by issuing the Decree on accounting for business entities and by the Czech Accounting Standard on deferred taxes. But the reform as for deferred taxes was realized only partially and wasn’t adopted a holistic approach of IFRS implementation into local national accounting regulatory system. Based on the criticism of partial implementation of IAS 12 into local accounting rules, this article is focused on comparability of Czech accounting rules for deferred taxes with IFRS for SME. Conclusion from this investigation might become fundamentals for similar European accounting systems to the Czech Republic

International lease accounting reform and economic consequences: the views of UK users and preparers

In response to perceived difficulties with extant lease-accounting standards in operation worldwide, the G4+1 issued a discussion paper which proposes that all leases should be recognized on the balance sheet [ASB (1999). Leases: Implementation of a new approach, discussion paper. London: Accounting Standards Board]. Leasing is now on the active agenda of the IASB. A major difficulty faced by standard setters lies in overcoming the preparer/user lobbying imbalance and obtaining ex ante evidence on the likely impact of regulatory reform. This paper contributes to the ongoing international debate by conducting a questionnaire survey of U.K. users and preparers to assess their views on proposals for lease-accounting reform and on the potential economic consequences of their adoption. The results, based on 132 responses, indicate that both groups accept that there are deficiencies in the current rules, but they do not agree on the way forward and believe that the proposals would lead to significant economic consequences for key parties. The impact on respondents' views of familiarity with the proposals, level of lease usage, and company size, is also examined

Financial estimates against investors’ preferences:anchoring, denial and spillover effects

This experimental study investigates how the characteristics of an estimate in a sensitivity disclosure and the level of threat it presents to investors' preferences interact to influence investors’ risk judgments. Firstly, I predict and find that variation in an estimate affects not only investors’ judgment on a related issue but also their future judgments on an unrelated issue. Secondly, I predict and find that investors are more sensitive to variations in an estimate when information contained in the estimate presents less threat to their preferred conclusions than when it presents greater threat. Finally, I predict and find that investors perceive more uncertainty regarding the association between the disclosed risk factor and the estimated financial reporting item in the estimate when the information presents greater threat

Have IFRS Positive Impact on the Regulatory Accounting Systems in Continental European Countries?

This article investigates statement that IFRS have positive impact on the regulatory system in continental European countries. The accounting regulatory system is used for the purpose of investigation. Authors of the paper developed theoretical scenarios of potential development of the accounting system in the Czech Republic. Rigid architecture of the accounting system, rigid set of accounting rules with no tradition of accounting profession, were considered in the development of potential accounting systems in the Czech Republic. Steps of IFRS implementation are monitored and partial implementation of IFRS into Czech accounting standards are under the criticism of the authors. There is a definite endeavour of the Ministry of Finance to implement some of the best practise of accounting professionals, worldwide respected, into the Czech accounting standards. This endeavour brings sometime very complicated situations and causes breakdown of the accounting system. The paper emphasizes on the most urgent issues. The study provides clear evidence under which conditions, in the system with continental European law, could the national accounting standards be developed through a formal system of due process. It can therefore be assumed that the impact of IFRS on accounting regulatory system in other continental European countries is similar

Influence of Internally Generated Intangible Assets on Financial Statements Prepared in Accordance with IFRS

This article looks at the very intricate and highly contentious issue of internally generated intangible assets as presented in the financial statements prepared under IFRS, with a special focus on research and development. In the first section, intangible assets are defined and then further classified as either purchased or internally generated; crucial distinction when choosing the right approach. The second section deals with research and development in a greater detail and provides not only a number of answers, but also raises several key questions, e.g. the question of objectivity and possible earnings management. Third section is devoted to measurement issues and in the last section, the reader finds excerpts from financial statements of different companies from various industries which illustrate the fact that some useful information is clearly missing. The conclusion suggest an easy, yet very efficien solution in tune with the ongoing convergence process between IFRS and U.S. GAAP, namely to move IAS 38 in the direction of U.S. GAAP and to forbid any capitalisation of development costs

Accounting for information: Information and knowledge in the annual reports of FTSE 100 companies

The purpose of this study was to assess the ways in which a sample group of companies discuss information and knowledge. Quantitative and qualitative content analyses were used to survey the way that companies present and value information and knowledge, based on the annual reports of the FTSE 100, the United Kingdom's largest publicly-listed companies. A novel content analysis approach is used, based on a set of categories proposed by Oppenheim, Stenson and Wilson. Many of the companies analysed made explicit the importance of information and knowledge, through either discussion in the text of the annual report or through an attempt to assign a monetary value to information assets. Where the importance of information and knowledge was not made explicit, the study revealed links between successful performance and effective use of information assets. Different categories of information assets were identified within the annual reports. Conclusions drawn from the analysis include that information and knowledge are demonstrably important to FTSE 100 companies, although the specific term “knowledge” does not appear to have a special significance in the companies’ lexicon; and that certain sectors, such as General Financial, General Retail, Travel & Leisure, Mining, Aerospace & Defence and Software & Computer Services, mention information and knowledge more than others

Measurement Bases for Acquisitions and Mergers in Financial Accounting and in Commercial Law

In association with transactions involving businesses, acquisitions and mergers, etc., commercial law stipulates the new measurement of business assets and thus also net business assets. Similarly, financial accounting stipulates the new measurement of assets, liabilities and net assets with an impact on the amount and structure of equity. It is a principal question as to whether the new measurement bases required by both commercial law and financial accounting are in principal identical. Practice convinces us that the concepts provided in legislation (both commercial and accounting) differ in many cases and if a principle of precedence of the legal form over legal nature is applied, problems arise in respect to the main purpose of financial accounting, i.e. achieving a true and fair view. By stipulating the new measurement of business assets, commercial law intends to secure value objectivity of the relations between a company on the one side and its shareholders and statutory body members on the other (or between companies forming economic groups). Financial accounting focuses on new measurement at two levels: objective measurement on recognition – the acquisition of an asset, a group of assets or a business, or objective measurement as at the date of financial statements should the original measurement of the recognition of an asset or a liability would be significantly outdated and not reflective of the actual situation. It is essential that the discrepancies between the perspectives of commercial law and accounting legislation be analysed and removed in order to allow financial accounting to fulfil its basic purpose

Audit opinions and information asymmetry in the stock market

This study analyses the relationship between the content of the audit reports and information asymmetry levels in the stock market for a sample of Spanish firms. By implementing an association study, we document (1) that firms with audit qualifications show higher information asymmetry levels than those with unqualified opinions; (2) firms with non-quantified qualifications show higher informational asymmetry than firms with quantified qualifications; and (3) we find a stronger effect on the level of informational asymmetry in the case of going concern qualifications. Our findings suggest that audit qualifications reporting more uncertainty on firm accounting statements result in higher adverse selection risk.David Abad acknowledges financial support from the Ministerio de Ciencia y Competitividad through grants ECO2013-44409-P and ECO2014-58434-P. Juan Pedro Sánchez-Ballesta acknowledges financial support from Fundación Séneca (15358/PHCS/10). José Yagüe acknowledges financial support from Fundación Caja Murcia