On 1 January 20X6 Rechno Co borrowed $15m to finance the production of two assets, both of which were expected to take a year to build. Production started during 20X8. The loan facility was drawn down on 1 January 20X8, and was utilised as follows, with the remaining funds invested temporarily.
Asset X Asset Y
$m $m
1 January 20X8 2.5 5.0
1 July 20X8 2.5 5.0
The loan rate was 10% and Rechno Co can invest surplus funds at 8%.
Required
Ignoring compound interest, calculate the borrowing costs which may be capitalised for each of the assets and consequently the cost of each asset as at 31 December 20X8.
Answer
Asset X Asset Y
$'000 $'000
Borrowing costs
To 31 December 20X8 $5.0m/$10m 10% 500 1000
Less investment income
To 30 June 20X8 $2.5m/$5.0m 8% 6/12 (100) (200) 400 800 Cost of assets Expenditure incurred 5,000 10,000 Borrowing costs 400 800 5,400 10,800
Question
Borrowing costs 2
Zenzi Co had the following loans in place at the beginning and end of 20X8.
1 January 31 December 20X8 20X8
$m $m
10.0% Bank loan repayable 20Y3 120 120
9.5% Bank loan repayable 20Y1 80 80
8.9% debenture repayable 20Y8 – 150
The 8.9% debenture was issued to fund the construction of a qualifying asset (a piece of mining equipment), construction of which began on 1 July 20X8.
On 1 January 20X8, Zenzi Co began construction of a qualifying asset, a piece of machinery for a hydro- electric plant, using existing borrowings. Expenditure drawn down for the construction was: $30m on 1 January 20X8, $20m on 1 October 20X8.
Required
Calculate the borrowing costs to be capitalised for the hydro-electric plant machine.
Answer
Capitalisation rate = weighted average rate = (10% 80 120 120 ) + (9.5% 120 80 80 ) = 9.8% Borrowing costs = ($30m 9.8%) + ($20m 9.8% 3/12) = $3.43m
3 IAS 36 Impairment of assets
12/07, 12/11, 12/12, 12/13
IAS 36 Impairment of assets covers a controversial topic and it affects goodwill as well as tangible long- term assets.
There is an established principle that assets should not be carried at above their recoverable amount. An entity should write down the carrying value of an asset to its recoverable amount if the carrying value of an asset is not recoverable in full. It puts in place a detailed methodology for carrying out impairment reviews and related accounting treatments and disclosures.
3.1 Scope
IAS 36 applies to all tangible, intangible and financial assets except inventories, assets arising from construction contracts, deferred tax assets, assets arising under IAS 19 Employee benefits and financial assets within the scope of IAS 32 Financial instruments: presentation. This is because those IASs already have rules for recognising and measuring impairment. Note also that IAS 36 does not apply to non– current assets held for sale, which are dealt with under IFRS 5 Non-current assets held for sale and discontinued operations.
Impairment: a fall in the value of an asset, so that its 'recoverable amount' is now less than its carrying value in the statement of financial position.
Carrying amount: is the net value at which the asset is included in the statement of financial position
(ie after deducting accumulated depreciation and any impairment losses). (IAS 36)
The basic principle underlying IAS 36 is relatively straightforward. If an asset's value in the accounts is higher than its realistic value, measured as its 'recoverable amount', the asset is judged to have suffered an impairment loss. It should therefore be reduced in value, by the amount of the impairment loss. The amount of the impairment loss should be written off against profit immediately.
The main accounting issues to consider are therefore as follows:
(a) How is it possible to identify when an impairment loss may have occurred?
(b) How should the recoverable amount of the asset be measured?
(c) How should an 'impairment loss' be reported in the accounts?
3.2 Identifying a potentially impaired asset
An entity should carry out a review of its assets at each year end, to assess whether there are any indications of impairment to any assets. The concept of materiality applies, and only material impairment needs to be identified.
If there are indications of possible impairment, the entity is required to make a formal estimate of the
recoverable amount of the assets concerned.
IAS 36 suggests how indications of a possible impairment of assets might be recognised. The suggestions are based largely on common sense.
(a) External sources of information
(i) A fall in the asset's market value that is more significant than would normally be expected from passage of time over normal use.
(ii) A significant change in the technological, market, legal or economic environment of the business in which the assets are employed.
(iii) An increase in market interest rates or market rates of return on investments likely to affect the discount rate used in calculating value in use.
(iv) The carrying amount of the entity's net assets being more than its market capitalisation.
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(b) Internal sources of information: evidence of obsolescence or physical damage, adverse changes in the use to which the asset is put, or the asset's economic performance
Even if there are no indications of impairment, the following assets must always be tested for impairment annually.
(a) An intangible asset with an indefinite useful life
(b) Goodwill acquired in a business combination
3.3 Measuring the recoverable amount of the asset
Impairment is determined by comparing the carrying amount of the asset with its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount of an asset is the higher of the asset's fair value less costs of disposal and its value in use.
What is an asset's recoverable amount?
The recoverable amount of an asset should be measured as the higher value of: (a) the asset's fair value less costs of disposal
(b) its value in use (IAS 36)
An asset's fair value less costs of disposal is the amount net of selling costs that could be obtained from the sale of the asset. Selling costs include sales transaction costs, such as legal expenses.
(a) If there is an active market in the asset, the net selling price should be based on the market value, or on the price of recent transactions in similar assets.
(b) If there is no active market in the assets it might be possible to estimate a net selling price using best estimates of what market participants might pay in an orderly at the measurement date. Net selling price cannot be reduced, however, by including within selling costs any restructuring or reorganisation expenses, or any costs that have already been recognised in the accounts as liabilities.
The concept of 'value in use' is very important.
The value in use of an asset is measured as the present value of estimated future cash flows (inflows minus outflows) generated by the asset, including its estimated net disposal value (if any) at the end of its expected useful life.
The cash flows used in the calculation should be pre-tax cash flows and a pre-tax discount rate should be applied to calculate the present value.
The calculation of value in use must reflect the following:
(a) An estimate of the future cash flows the entity expects to derive from the asset (b) Expectations about possible variations in the amount and timing of future cash flows
(c) The time value of money
(d) The price for bearing the uncertainty inherent in the asset, and
(e) Other factors that would be reflected in pricing future cash flows from the asset
Calculating a value in use therefore calls for estimates of future cash flows, and the possibility exists that an entity might come up with over-optimistic estimates of cash flows. The IAS therefore states the following:
(a) Cash flow projections should be based on 'reasonable and supportable' assumptions.
(b) Projections of cash flows, normally up to a maximum period of five years, should be based on the most recent budgets or financial forecasts.
(c) Cash flow projections beyond this period should be obtained by extrapolating short-term projections, using either a steady or declining growth rate for each subsequent year (unless a
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rising growth rate can be justified). The long-term growth rate applied should not exceed the average long term growth rate for the product, market, industry or country, unless a higher growth rate can be justified.
3.3.1 Composition of estimates of future cash flows
These should include the following:
(a) Projections of cash inflows from continuing use of the asset
(b) Projections of cash outflows necessarily incurred to generate the cash inflows from continuing use of the asset
(c) Net cash flows received/paid on disposal of the asset at the end of its useful life
There is an underlying principle that future cash flows should be estimated for the asset in its current condition. Future cash flows relating to restructurings to which the entity is not yet committed, or to future costs to add to, replace part of, or service the asset are excluded.
Estimates of future cash flows should exclude the following: (a) Cash inflows/ outflows from financing activities
(b) Income tax receipts/payments
The amount of net cash inflow/outflow on disposal of an asset should in an orderly transaction between market participants.
Foreign currency future cash flows should be forecast in the currency in which they will arise and will be discounted using a rule appropriate for that currency. The resulting figure should then be translated into the reporting currency at the spot rate at the year end.
The discount rate should be a current pre-tax rate (or rates) that reflects the current assessment of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset. The discount should not include a risk weighting if the underlying cash flows have already been adjusted for risk.
3.4 Recognition and measurement of an impairment loss
When it is not possible to calculate the recoverable amount of a single asset, then that of its cash generating unit should be measured instead.
The rule for assets at historical cost is:
If the recoverable amount of an asset is lower than the carrying amount, the carrying amount should be reduced by the difference (ie the impairment loss) which should be charged as an expense in profit or loss for the year.
The rule for assets held at a revalued amount (such as property revalued under IAS 16) is: The impairment loss is to be treated as a revaluation decrease under the relevant IFRS/IAS. In practice this means:
To the extent that there is a revaluation surplus held in respect of the asset, the impairment loss should be charged to revaluation surplus.
Any excess should be charged to profit or loss.
The IAS goes into quite a large amount of detail about the important concept of cash generating units. As a basic rule, the recoverable amount of an asset should be calculated for the asset individually. However, there will be occasions when it is not possible to estimate such a value for an individual asset, particularly in the calculation of value in use. This is because cash inflows and outflows cannot be attributed to the individual asset.