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The laws surrounding transfer pricing are becoming ever more complex, as tax affairs of multinational companies are facing scrutiny from media, regulators and the public
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Africa tax desk
A differentiating solution adapted to the context of your investments in Africa.
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Banking Holding banking to account: the real diversity and inclusion pictureWe explore how the banking sector can continue to attract, retain and nurture women to build a more diverse and inclusive future.
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Sustainability From voluntary to mandatory ESG: How banks can future-proof their operationsAs we move from voluntary ESG initiatives to mandatory legislation, we explore what the banking sector needs to prioritise.
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IFRS IFRS 9 - Audit of Expected Credit LossesGPPC releases The Auditor’s response to the risks of material misstatement posed by estimates of expected credit losses under IFRS 9
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growthiQ Steering your company to long-term successHistory has something important to tell us about the difficulties of steering a business to long-term success – through seismic shifts in technology, consumer demands and product development. With that in mind it’s unsurprising that over half the world’s largest companies in the early 1900s had shut their doors by the late 1990s. Some, however, have endured.
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International Financial Reporting Standards Implementation of IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’The auditor’s response to the risks of material misstatement arising from estimates made in applying IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’
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IFRS Get ready for IFRS 17After twenty years of development the IASB has published IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’, find out more.
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Global business pulse - industry analysis Mid-market recovery spreads to more industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Access to finance Raise finance to invest in changePrepare your business to raise finance to invest in change.
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Private equity firms Private equity in the mid-market: reshaping strategies for 2021When the global COVID-19 pandemic stormed across the globe in early 2020, the private equity sector was hit hard but deals are coming back to the market.
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Mid-market businesses Getting ready for private equity investmentOur specialists explore how private equity firms are now working with their portfolios and how the mid-market can benefit from investment.
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Mid-market businesses Myth-busting private equityNervous about partnering with Private Equity? We explore some of the common myths we come across when speaking to mid-market businesses about PE investment.
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Global business pulse - industry analysis Mid-market recovery spreads to more industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - industry analysis A very uneven recovery across industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - Sector analysis Clear patterns of damage from COVID-19 across the industriesThe index results for 12 key sectors of the mid-market reveal just how much or little the various parts of the economy were impacted by COVID-19.
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Industries European Real Estate PodcastJessica Patel, Tax Partner at Grant Thornton UK speaks with tax partners and directors across the network to share their insights on the real estate market and some of the challenges.
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Industries European Real Estate PodcastJessica Patel, Tax Partner at Grant Thornton UK speaks with tax partners and directors across the network to share their insights on the real estate market and some of the challenges.
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Global business pulse - industry analysis Mid-market recovery spreads to more industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - industry analysis A very uneven recovery across industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - industry analysis Mid-market recovery spreads to more industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - industry analysis A very uneven recovery across industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Retail How retail is positioning for successCOVID-19 provided some hard lessons for the retail industry. It is time to turn those into sustainable and well executed growth strategies in 2021.
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Telecoms Can tech and telecom leverage economic headwindsAs most businesses brace for an economic downturn, tech and telecom could see new prospects. But, to turn the headwinds to your advantage, you need to find your unique opportunities and risks.
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Technology Mid-market tech companies lead the way on diversity and inclusionWe explore how the mid-market tech sector can continue to build and nurture a culture that’s increasingly more diverse and inclusive for women.
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Tax Resetting global tax rules after the pandemicBusinesses are seeing rising challenges, and finance heads are dealing with a range of new measures. To say the next 12 months are critical for businesses is an understatement.
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TECHNOLOGY International tax reform: the potential impact on the technology industryIn this article, we’ve summarised key elements of the global tax reform proposals, their potential impact on technology industry and advice from our digital tax specialists on what technology companies can do to prepare.
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Telecoms Can tech and telecom leverage economic headwindsAs most businesses brace for an economic downturn, tech and telecom could see new prospects. But, to turn the headwinds to your advantage, you need to find your unique opportunities and risks.
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TMT TMT industry: Fully charged or on standby?Our research revealed five key trends that resonated with Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) industry leaders around the world. We asked a panel of our experts from UK, US, India Ireland and Germany, to give us their reaction to the findings.
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Cybersecurity One size fits nothingTechnology companies must adopt a new approach to digital risk: those that successfully develop a reputation for digital trust by demonstrating an unwavering commitment to cyber security and data privacy will be able to carve out a competitive advantage.
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Technology, media & telecommunications Why it’s time for a 5G reality checkFigures suggest the mobile sector is maturing. While data usage continues to soar, mobile revenues are expected to flatten out over the next few years.
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International business Mid-market businesses lifted by rising tide of optimismOptimism among global mid-market business leaders rose to 67% in the first half of this year and they are markedly more optimistic about their prospects with global optimism having increased by 8%.
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Global business pulse - industry analysis Mid-market recovery spreads to more industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Hotels COVID-19: Checking in with the hotel industry one year onCOVID-19 provided some hard lessons for the hotel sector. It is time to turn those into sustainable and well executed growth strategies.
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If the widespread impact of COVID-19 began during the entity’s reporting period, the impact will be reflected in its financial statements for that period. However, to the extent that the widespread impact of COVID-19 occurred during the entity’s ‘subsequent events period’ (ie the period between the end of the reporting period and the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue), management must determine how material developments after the year-end should be reflected in the entity’s financial statements for the period under audit or review.
In accordance with IAS 10 ‘Events after the Reporting Period’, entities are required to distinguish between subsequent events that are adjusting (ie those that provide further evidence of conditions that existed at the reporting date) and non-adjusting (ie those that are indicative of conditions that arose after the reporting date). Entities are required to update the carrying amounts of any assets or liabilities recognised in their financial statements to reflect any adjusting events that occur during the subsequent events period.
Download 'Events after the reporting period' [pdf]
When does COVID-19 not become an adjusting event?
In our view, the impact of COVID-19 would be a non-adjusting subsequent event for reporting periods ended on or before 31 December 2019. Consequently, there would be no impact on the recognition and measurement of assets and liabilities in an entity’s financial statements. Although cases of the virus in Wuhan City, China were reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 31 December 2019, there was little confirmed evidence of human-to-human transmission at that time and the WHO did not declare the outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern until 31 January 2020.
As such, it is presumed that the significant development and spread of COVID-19 did not take place until January 2020. Financial statements for an entity with a reporting period ending on or before 31 December 2019 should only reflect the conditions that existed at 31 December 2019 and must therefore exclude the significant effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, all reporting entities should determine whether or not they should make additional disclosures to describe the impacts of the outbreak in the subsequent events period.
Generally, disclosure should be made of those events during the subsequent events period that do not relate to conditions that existed at the date of the financial statements but cause significant changes to assets or liabilities in the subsequent period and either will, or may, have a significant effect on the future operations of the entity. For material non-adjusting events, IAS 10 stipulates an entity must disclose (a) a description of the nature of the event; and (b) an estimate of the financial effect, or a statement that such an estimate cannot be made.
Examples of non-adjusting events that would generally result in disclosure include:
- management’s plans to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and whether there is material uncertainty over the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern
- breaches of covenants, waivers or modifications of contractual terms in lending arrangements
- supply chain disruptions
- the assessment of certain purchase or sale agreements as onerous contracts
- announcing a plan to discontinue an operation
- announcing, or commencing the implementation of, a major restructuring or downsizing (temporarily or permanently)
- declines in the fair value of investments held after the reporting period (eg pension plan investments)
- abnormally large changes in asset prices or foreign exchange rates, and
- entering into significant commitments or contingencies, such as issuing significant guarantees to related parties.
Example disclosures for non-adjusting events
All disclosures should be entity-specific and include information relevant to their circumstances. The following are some examples for some potential non-adjusting events for 31 December 2019 financial statements:
Since 31 December 2019, the spread of COVID-19 has severely impacted many local economies around the globe. In many countries, businesses are being forced to cease or limit operations for long or indefinite periods of time. Measures taken to contain the spread of the virus, including travel bans, quarantines, social distancing, and closures of non-essential services have triggered significant disruptions to businesses worldwide, resulting in an economic slowdown. Global stock markets have also experienced great volatility and significant weakening. Governments and central banks have responded with monetary and fiscal interventions to stabilise economic conditions.
The Company has determined that these events are non-adjusting subsequent events. Accordingly, the financial position and results of operations as of and for the year ended 31 December 2019 have not been adjusted to reflect their impact. The duration and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the effectiveness of government and central bank responses, remains unclear at this time. It is not possible to reliably estimate the duration and severity of these consequences, as well as their impact on the financial position and results of the Company for future periods.
Note: This disclosure assumes there is no significant doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.
On 27 March 2020, in response to significant decreases in demand resulting from social distancing efforts, quarantines and border closures related to the spread of COVID-19, the Company announced that it would temporarily close 30 of its 100 stores, which represented average monthly sales of approximately CU325,000 during the year ended 31 December 2019.
The Company also announced that it would continue to pay its store associates for all scheduled shifts that were planned for the two-week period beginning on 27 March 2020. The salaries and benefits expense estimated for this two-week commitment is approximately CU50,000.
During March 2020, in response to significant decreases in demand amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, the Group announced its intention to temporarily reduce its workforce by 130 positions by the end of April 2020, by means of either reduction in hours or temporary leave. The Group plans to continue providing health benefits for furloughed employees through to 30 June 2020. The Group expects the reduction in positions to reduce salaries and benefits expense in 2020 by a net amount between CU25,000 and CU20,000 per month. Other expected financial effects include… [insert details]
Subsequent to 31 December 2019, one of the Company’s major trade customers declared bankruptcy following severe decreases in sales as a result of the continued spread of COVID-19. Of the CU135,000 receivable from this customer, the Company expects to recover less than CU10,000. The allowance for expected credit losses for this receivable was CU5,000 as of 31 December 2019.
Since 31 December 2019, the outbreak of COVID-19 and related global responses have caused material disruptions to businesses around the world, leading to an economic slowdown. Global equity markets have experienced significant volatility and weakness. As at 31 March 2020, the date that these financial statements were authorised for issue, the fair value of the Group’s investments had declined significantly to the following amounts: [insert figures here]
While governments and central banks have reacted with monetary interventions designed to stabilise economic conditions, the duration and extent of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as the effectiveness of government and central bank responses, remains unclear at this time.
These subsequent changes in the fair value of the organisation’s investments are not reflected in the financial statements as of 31 December 2019.
What's the COVID-19 impact on 31 March 2020 reporting dates?
By the end of March 2020, it would be extremely difficult to say that the pandemic was not an event that existed and therefore any accounting impact that occurred after this date is not an adjusting event. This means all estimates and forecasts should include the expected impact of COVID-19, including:
- impairment of property, plant and equipment, intangibles, goodwill
- revenue recognition
- deferred taxes
- going concern
- expected credit losses
- inventory obsolescence.
Disclosing adjusting events
Based on guidance issued by some regulators, our recommendation is that reporting entities put all the matters relating to COVID-19 into one part of their financial statements and make sure that the matter of COVID 19 is prominently displayed.
Below is an extract from Macquarie Group Limited in Australia, who disclosed the COVID-19 impact in Note 1 of its 31 March 2020 consolidated financial statements.[i] Under the major note heading called ‘Summary of Significant Accounting policies’ it had a subheading addressing the entity’s ‘Basis of Preparation’ and under that heading a further subheading to draw attention to the impact of COVID-19 on the consolidated entity’s financial statements.
[i] For complete details of the financial statements that were approved for issue in 8 May 2020 please refer to www.macquarie.com
Macquarie Group Limited disclosure
COVID-19, which is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus, was declared a world-wide pandemic by the World Health Organisation in March 2020. COVID-19, as well as measures to slow the spread of the virus, have since had a significant impact on global economies and equity, debt and commodity markets. The Consolidated Entity has considered the impact of COVID-19 and other market volatility in preparing its financial statements.
While the specific areas of judgement as noted on the previous page did not change, the impact of COVID-19 resulted in the application of further judgement within those identified areas.
Given the dynamic and evolving nature of COVID-19, limited recent experience of the economic and financial impacts of such a pandemic, and the short duration between the declaration of the pandemic and the preparation of these financial statements, changes to the estimates and outcomes that have been applied in the measurement of the Consolidated Entity’s assets and liabilities may arise in the future.
Other than adjusting events that provide evidence of conditions that existed at the end of the reporting period, the impact of events that arise after the reporting period will be accounted for in future reporting periods.
Forward-looking information, including a detailed explanation of the scenarios and related probabilities considered in determining the Consolidated Entity’s forward-looking assumptions for the purposes of its expected credit loss (ECL), has been provided in Note 12 to the financial statements. Noting the wide range of possible scenarios and macroeconomic outcomes, and the relative uncertainty of how COVID-19 and its social and economic consequences will flow, these scenarios represent reasonable and supportable forward-looking views as at the reporting date.
As a consequence of COVID-19 and in preparing these financial statements, management:
- re-evaluated whether there were any additional areas of judgement or estimation uncertainty beyond what has been disclosed above
- updated its economic outlook – principally for the purposes of inputs into its ECL through the application of forward-looking information, but also for input into the impairment analysis of financial and non-financial asset classes and disclosures such as fair value disclosures of financial assets and liabilities
- reviewed external market communications to identify other COVID-19 related impacts
- reviewed public forecasts and experience from previous downturns
- conducted several internal processes to ensure consistency in the application of the expected impact of COVID-19 across all asset classes
- assessed the carrying values of its assets and liabilities and determined the impact thereon as a result of market inputs and variables impacted by COVID-19
- ran multiple stress testing scenarios, which are an integral component of Consolidated Entity’s risk management framework and a key input to the capital adequacy assessment process, to assess the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on its portfolio to assist in the organisation’s prudent risk management, and
- considered the impact of COVID-19 on the Consolidated Entity’s financial statement disclosures.
Key statements of financial position sheet items and related disclosures that have been impacted by COVID-19 were as follows:
Trading assets, trading liabilities and financial investments
Given recent market volatility, the Consolidated Entity reviewed the appropriateness of the inputs to its valuations, which included the use of correlations, price volatilities, funding costs and bid offer, counterparty and own credit spreads.
The impact of changes in valuation inputs has also been considered in terms of the classification of exposures in the fair value hierarchy, transfers within the fair value hierarchy and the Level 3 sensitivity analysis. The Consolidated Entity’s financial investments include a portfolio of unlisted equity investments which, in accordance with the Consolidated Entity’s accounting policies, are measured at FVTPL. The determination of the investments’ carrying value included a consideration of the impact of COVID-19.
Derivative assets and liabilities
Given recent market volatility, the Consolidated Entity reviewed the appropriateness of the inputs to its valuations. These included valuation adjustments (XVA) and notably the credit valuation adjustment (CVA), debit valuation adjustment (DVA) and funding valuation adjustment (FVA). The impact of changes of inputs to the valuations has also been considered in terms of the classification of exposures in the fair value hierarchy and transfers within the fair value hierarchy.
Held for sale assets and liabilities
Held for sale assets and liabilities includes certain disposal groups and investments in associates and joint ventures for which the conditions precedent relating to the disposal were met subsequent to 31 March 2020. For these and other items that are classified as held for sale, the appropriateness of the held for sale classification at the reporting date was reassessed and affirmed. Further, the impact of COVID-19 on the carrying value of the assets and liabilities that were classified as held for sale was assessed. Refer to Note 102 and Note 21.2
Loan assets, due from subsidiaries and other assets
In response to COVID-19 the Consolidated Entity and the Company undertook a review of wholesale and retail credit portfolios, loans to its subsidiaries and other financial asset exposures, as applicable, and the ECL for each. The review considered the macroeconomic outlook, customer credit quality, the type of collateral held, exposure at default, and the effect of payment deferral options as at the reporting date.
The ECL methodology, SICR thresholds, and definition of default remained consistent with prior periods. The model inputs, including forward-looking information, scenarios and associated weightings, together with the determination of the staging of exposures were however revised. The impact of COVID-19 on the credit risk management disclosures, notably in relation to credit quality and collateral and other credit enhancements was also considered. Refer to Note 122 and Note 34.2
Property, plant and equipment and right-of-use assets
Included in the group’s property, plant and equipment and right-of-use assets at 31 March 2020 is a portfolio of rotorcraft assets. Given the impact of COVID-19, the portfolio was subject to impairment testing which concluded that no material impairment was required. Refer to Note 13.2
Interest in associates and joint ventures, investments in subsidiaries and interests in unconsolidated structured entities
The Consolidated Entity’s investments in associates and joint ventures is diversified, has been acquired over time and covers various sectors (including infrastructure and green energy) and geographic locations. When it has been assessed that there is an indicator of impairment the Consolidated Entity tests the carrying amount of each of its investments for impairment, by comparing the investment’s recoverable amount with its carrying value. Disclosures with respect to the Consolidated Entity’s equity accounted interests in Macquarie AirFinance Limited, East Anglia ONE Limited and Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation (MIC) have been provided.
In addition to the Company assessing its investments in subsidiaries for impairment, the Company and Consolidated Entity re-affirmed that there were no circumstances as a result of COVID-19 that would affect the existing control conclusion for its subsidiaries, including structured entities, nor did it highlight instances in which the Company or Consolidated Entity now had control of such entities. Refer to Note 14 and Note 16 (Not reproduced).
Intangible assets
Consistent with the Consolidated Entity’s accounting policies, the Consolidated Entity has tested goodwill and indefinite life intangible assets for impairment and has reviewed the carrying value of its finite life intangible assets at the reporting date for indicators of impairment and, where applicable, reviewed the measurement of the carrying value of such intangible assets. Such assessment incorporated a consideration of COVID-19. Refer to Note 15.3.
Debt issued and loan capital
Debt-related covenants were assessed to determine whether there were any breaches for which disclosure is required. The Consolidated Entity identified no such breaches at 31 March 2020 nor at the time at which these financial statements were authorised for issue. Refer to Note 223 and Note 24.3.
Hedge accounting
An assessment was conducted as to the impact of COVID-19 with respect to whether the hedged forecasted cash flows in cash flow hedge relationships remain highly probable at the balance date. Based on available facts as at 31 March 2020, including announcements from governments and regulators, as well as discussions with our clients, the modelling of the hedged future cash flows were determined to remain highly probable and hence hedge accounting has continued to be applied.
Risk management
The Consolidated Entity’s robust risk management framework continues to be applied across the Operating and Central service groups and RMG continues to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on the Consolidated Entity’s risk profile. Non-financial risks emerging from global movement restrictions, and remote working by our staff, counterparties, clients and suppliers, are being identified, assessed, managed and governed through timely application of the Consolidated Entity’s risk management framework.
This accounting policy note sends the readers of these financial statements to ten other detailed notes within its consolidated financial statements, therefore illustrating that for this Australian financial institution multiple financial statement areas have been impacted by the pandemic.
To make it clear to the readers of their consolidated financial statements there were not any other material matters that needed to be disclosed, Macquarie made the following disclosure in its final note of its 31 March 2020 consolidated financial statements:
There were no material events subsequent to 31 March 2020 and up until the authorisation of the financial statements for issue, that have not been disclosed elsewhere in the financial statements.
How Grant Thornton can help
Preparers of financial statements will need to be agile and responsive as the situation unfolds. Having access to experts, insights and accurate information as quickly as possible is critical – but your resources may be stretched at this time.
We can support you as you navigate through accounting for the impacts of COVID-19 on your business. Now more than ever the need for businesses, their auditor and any other accounting advisors to work closely together is essential. If you would like to discuss any of the points raised, please speak to your usual Grant Thornton contact or your local member firm.