Financial accounting research report
In June 2022, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) issued the following media release:22-124MR ASIC highlights focus areas for 30 June 2022 reporting where they focused on Asset value and impairment testing.
The link to the media release is provided below:
22-124MR ASIC highlights focus areas for 30 June 2022 reporting | ASIC – Australian
Securities and Investments Commission (If the above link is not working, copy the link and paste it in the browser.)
In the 22-124MR, ASIC raised concerns about the assessments of the recoverability of the carrying values of assets, including goodwill and property, plant and equipment.
You were lucky to get an internship with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission’s (ASIC) Financial Reporting Surveillance Program that aims to improve the quality of financial reporting by reviewing the annual financial reports of a selection of listed companies and other significant entities, to monitor compliance with the Corporations Act and Australian Accounting Standards.
The Head of the Financial Reporting Surveillance Program (your boss for the time of your internship), Zachary King*, plans for the next review round to focus on the quality of financial information in the annual reports of listed companies to ensure that asset values are appropriately reflected and disclosed in these companies’ latest annual reports. For preliminary research into this matter, he asks you to provide a report which highlights the current compliance with AASB136 Impairment of Assets by one listed company in this regard.
For this, you must research into a listed ASX300 company of your choice and write a report addressing the following:
a. A critical analysis of some of the complexities and key issues involved in impairment testing especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In your analysis, you can refer to one or more publications issued by the ‘Big 4’ firms, accounting professional bodies or academic journals. (10 marks)
b. Provide a detailed explanation of the impairment write-down(s) made by your chosen company in the year ended 30 June 2021. Your explanation should include a discussion of:
i. the asset/s that were impaired;
ii. the type of estimations required to record the impairment;
iii. the amount of the impairment write-down; and
iv. relevant disclosures in the 30 June 2021 financial report in relation to impairment testing. (15 marks)
c. Based on your findings in part b, discuss how the treatments and disclosures for impairment for the year ended 30 June 2021 meet the fundamental characteristics of financial reporting as per the Conceptual Framework? (15 marks)
You need to attach a copy of the relevant parts of the annual report showing the disclosures made by the company for asset values and impairment. Do not attach the entire annual report.
To complete this assignment, you will need to select a suitable company yourself that meets the following criteria:
• The company must be a constituent of the S&P/ASX 300 index (www.asx300list.com).
• The company must publish audited annual financial reports in English, fully complying with IFRS or AASB standards. and
• The company must have a 30 June year end.
• Choose the annual report for the financial year ended 30 June 2021.
• The company should be from an industry that has been impacted by COVID- 19
