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The economic intensity of COVID-19
COVID-19 is posing a serious concern
for organisations around world to get their Financials ready, particularly
those at the end of their accounting or Fiscal years. Though the whole world is
going through difficult times but some sectors have been hit more adversely
than others. Leisure, Transport, Hotel industries are among the top affected
ones. As per the IMF World Economic Outlook Report, the world
economy is expected to shrink by 3% during the year 2020 and calls it big
recession after Great Depression.
YPO conducted a recent survey of 3,534 Chief
executives ages 23-91 from 109 different counties. According to this
report, the majority of chief executives surveyed lead middle market companies
(revenues USD10 million to USD1 billion), and a high percentage (51%) see the
COVID-19 crisis as a large or severe risk to their business. Eleven percent say
their business is at risk of not surviving. Just 3% responded that the current
pandemic doesn’t pose a threat to their business. Industry plays a big role in
respondents’ point of view on their businesses survival. Business leaders in
the hospitality/restaurant (41%), aerospace/aviation (30%), education (19%),
and retail and wholesale sales (19%) are the most likely to say their business
is at risk of not surviving.
Top Regulators
and Accounting Bodies Response
Accountancy Governing bodies are
passing advisories and taking remedial measures for the future oriented factual
financial reporting. On 8th April 2020, US SEC released a joint statement by
Chairman Jay Clayton and William Hinam (Director, Division of Corporation
Finance). The statement says;
The SEC’s three part mission—maintain market integrity, facilitate capital formation and protect investors—takes on particular importance in times of economic uncertainty. Disclosure—providing the public with the information necessary to make informed investment decisions—is fundamental to furthering each aspect of our mission.Company disclosures should reflect this state of affairs and outlook and, in particular, respond to investor interest in: (1) where the company stands today, operationally and financially, (2) how the company’s COVID-19 response, including its efforts to protect the health and well-being of its workforce and its customers, is progressing, and (3) how its operations and financial condition may change as all our efforts to fight COVID-19 progress. Historical information may be relatively less significant. We encourage companies that respond to our call for forward-looking disclosure to avail themselves of the safe-harbors for such statements and also note that we would not expect good faith attempts to provide appropriately framed forward-looking information to be second guessed by the SEC.
SEC also issued an order and extended some
reporting deadline which shall provide some time to companies to report their
financial results.
FASB and IASB are also
helping stockholders by providing more advisory and extending
timelines for the upcoming projects and standards.
IASB has extended the publication deadline from
March and April to May 2020 for narrow scope IFRS amendments. On 17
April 2020, the Board decided to extend the comment deadline for several
ongoing consultations and to delay the publication of other planned
consultation documents. It also proposed extending by one year the effective
date of an amendment to IAS 1, Classification of Liabilities as Current or
Non-Current. IASB recently issued Exposure
draft for the proposed amendments in the IFRS-16 regarding
COVID-19 related rent concessions. The Board says;
The proposed amendment would exempt lessees from having to consider whether particular covid-19-related rent concessions are lease modifications, allowing them to account for these changes as if they were not lease modifications. The amendment would apply to covid-19-related rent concessions that reduce lease payments due in 2020. The Board has responded quickly to provide support to stakeholders at this difficult time. Accordingly, the comment period on the proposal is short—14 days. The Board aims to issue the final amendment, which would be available to lessees immediately, in May 2020.
FASB seeks public comment on
proposal to offer limited effective date delays on time-sensitive standards.
Board has also established a COVID-19 response link to
keep all the upcoming updates on one place.
Organisations' Financial Reporting
Challenge
Worldwide knockdowns, low demand of
goods, less production, more inventory stocks, more interference of regulators
into internal affairs of organisations, downward trending revenues, less cash
inflows, doubtful recovery of loans are all typical examples of economic
downturn which every organisation is facing now. Companies are facing
unprecedented financial reporting challenge today. Uncertain future cash flows
and volatile economic forecasts are posing a big risk to Financial reporting. Deloitte recently has published its report: Financial Reporting Consideration related to COVID-19 and Economic Downturn. Major financial statement areas which got affected are listed below.
Impairment of Non-Financial Assets:
IFRS requires the non financial long-lived assets to be recorded as per the
recoverability and fair value test. In the current scenario where
macroeconomics is uncertain, it is very hard for the organization to project
and perform these tests. Both macro economy and internal organizations
financial forecasts aren’t built enough to perform such tests.
Impairment of Financial Assets:
There has been major decline in the value of financial assets due to economic
downturn. Ability of inflow against the assets is doubtful. Organizations need
to apply the appropriate guidance on this.
Going Concern: Companies have to
test the going concern principle and evaluate that whether they shall be able
to operate for at least one year from the financial statements date. Halted
operations and committed liabilities and lack of new funding sources can pose
serious liquidity risks in next coming year.
Subsequent events: For the
organization whose accounting period is at the end of March or February, it
shall be tough for them to decide which events are to be recognized at the
balance sheet date and which events not.
Long term contract and liabilities.
Economic downward turnaround is causing many organizations to reconsider
whether such contracts shall be performed as per the stipulated terms and
conditions. It includes leases, contracts with customer and suppliers etc. On
account of this, organizations need to ensure that appropriate reporting
guidance is taken from IFRS or GAAP.
We shall cover all of these topics
in detail with reference to related IFRS/GAAP in next coming posts, so stay tuned and subscribe to
get updates at earliest.
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