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ACCA Strategic Business Reporting (SBR) Achievement Ladder Step 8 Questions & Answers
ACCA Strategic Business Reporting (SBR) Achievement Ladder Step 8 Questions & Answers
Reporting (SBR)
Achievement Ladder
Step 8 Questions & Answers
Strategic Business Reporting Achievement Ladder Step 8
Section A
Question 1
Question text
The following draft statements of financial position relate to Ribby, Hall, and Zian, all public limited
companies, as at 31 May 20X8.
Ribby Hall Zian
$m $m Dinars m
Assets
Non-current assets:
Property, plant and equipment 247 120 360
Investment in Hall 98 – –
Investment in Zian 33 – –
Financial assets 10 5 148
Current assets 22 17 120
Total assets 410 142 628
Equity
Ordinary shares 60 40 209
Other components of equity 30 10 –
Retained earnings 120 80 307
Total equity 210 130 516
Non-current liabilities 90 5 40
Current liabilities 110 7 72
Total equity and liabilities 410 142 628
The following information needs to be taken account of in the preparation of the group financial
statements of Ribby.
(1) Ribby acquired 70% of the ordinary shares of Hall on 1 June 20X6 when Hall's other components
of equity were $10 million and retained earnings were $60 million. The fair value of the net assets
of Hall was $120 million at the date of acquisition. The excess of the fair value over the net
assets of Hall was due to an increase in the value of non-depreciable land.
(2) Ribby acquired 60% of the ordinary shares of Zian for 330 million dinars on 1 June 20X7 when
Zian's retained earnings were 220 million dinars. The fair value of the net assets of Zian was
equal to their carrying amount at the date of acquisition. The finance director of Ribby is unsure
of how to include Zian in the consolidated financial statements and has started by translating
Zian's statement of financial position at the closing rate on 31 May 20X8.
(3) Zian is located in a foreign country and imports its raw materials at a price which is normally
denominated in dollars. The product is sold locally at selling prices denominated in dinars, and
determined by local competition. All selling and operating expenses are incurred locally and paid
in dinars. Distribution of profits is determined by the parent company, Ribby. Zian's management
have a considerable degree of authority and autonomy in carrying out the operations of Zian and
are not dependent upon group companies for finance.
(4) Ribby has a long-term loan of $10 million which is owed to a third party bank. At 31 May 20X8,
Ribby decided that it would repay the loan early on 1 July 20X8 and formally agreed this
repayment with the bank prior to the year end. The agreement sets out that there will be an early
repayment penalty of $1 million.
(5) Ribby operates a defined benefit pension plan that provides a pension of 1.2% of the final salary
for each year of service, subject to a minimum of four years' service. On 1 June 20X7, Ribby
improved the pension entitlement so that employees receive 1.4% of their final salary for each
year of service. This improvement applied to all prior years' service of the employees. As a result,
the present value of the defined benefit obligation on 1 June 20X7 increased by $3.5 million as
follows:
$m
Employees with more than four years' service 3.0
Employees with less than four years' service (average service of two years) 0.5
3.5
Ribby had not accounted for the improvement in the pension plan.
(6) The following exchange rates are relevant to the preparation of the group financial statements:
Dinars to $
1 June 20X7 10
31 May 20X8 12
Average for year to 31 May 20X8 10.5
(7) It is the group's policy to value the non-controlling interest at acquisition at fair value. The fair
value of the non-controlling interest in Hall on 1 June 20X6 was $42 million. The fair value of the
non-controlling interest in Zian on 1 June 20X7 was 220 million dinars.
(8) Goodwill on the acquisition of Hall was impaired by 20% in the year to 31 May 20X7. An
impairment review conducted by Ribby in the current year identified that no further impairment to
goodwill on the acquisition of Hall was necessary, however, goodwill on the acquisition of Zian
was impaired by 30%.
(9) Zian paid a dividend of 20 million dinars on 31 May 20X8. No ordinary shares have been issued
by Zian or by Hall since acquisition. Ribby records its investments in subsidiaries at their
acquisition cost.
Required
(a) Discuss and apply the principles set out in IAS 21 The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange
Rates in order to determine the functional currency of Zian. (6 marks)
(b) Calculate, providing explanations in support of your workings, the goodwill balance for inclusion
in the consolidated statement of financial position of Ribby at 31 May 20X8. (8 marks)
(c) Explain, with supporting calculations, how Zian should be accounted for in the consolidated
statement of financial position of Ribby at 31 May 20X8. (10 marks)
(d) Calculate the retained earnings balance for inclusion in the consolidated statement of financial
position of Ribby as at 31 May 20X8. (6 marks)
(Total = 30 marks)
Feedback
Top tips. Part (a) of Question 1 asked you to determine the functional currency of an overseas
subsidiary. Make sure you produce arguments for and against your decision, as it is not clear cut.
Parts (b) and (d) required you to prepare extracts from the consolidated financial statements. In
Part (b), you were asked to calculate the goodwill for inclusion in the consolidated financial
statements. The goodwill of Hall should have been relatively easy and it is important to grab these
easy marks when they are available. The calculation for Zian was a little trickier but should be
achievable if you follow a standard approach. Part (c) asked for explanations and calculations of how
to include Zian in the consolidated financial statements. Keep your explanations brief and focused on
what rates should be used to translate Zian's financial statements and how to treat exchange gains
and losses. In Part (d) you were required to calculate the retained earnings figures, which required
you to take account of the adjustments in respect of the early loan repayment and the past service
cost on the pension. It is a good idea to provide a brief explanation of the adjustments, in case the
figures are wrong. The adjustments were to the retained earnings of the holding company which
meant you did not need to consider the effects of translation of non-controlling interests.
Easy marks. There are easy marks available for calculating the goodwill of Hall and for simply
translating the statement of financial position of Zian at the correct rate.
Marking guide
Marks
Workings
1 Early repayment of loan
The decision to repay the loan early has two implications:
(i) The loan must be transferred from non-current liabilities to current liabilities.
(ii) A penalty for early repayment.
The double entries are:
DEBIT Non-current liabilities $10m
CREDIT Current liabilities $10m
Being transfer to current liabilities
DEBIT Profit or loss for the year $1m
CREDIT Current liabilities $1m
Being accrual of early repayment penalty
2 Past service cost
Per IAS 19, all past service costs must be charged to profit or loss.
The double entry is as follows:
On 1 June 20X7:
DEBIT Profit or loss (retained earnings) $3.5m
CREDIT Present value of obligation
(non-current liabilities) $3.5m
Question 2
Question text
(a) Tango is the parent company of a number of companies operating in the retail industry. Tango is
considering selling its subsidiary, Salsa. Just prior to the year end, Salsa sold inventory to Tango
at a price of $6 million. The carrying amount of the inventory in the financial records of Salsa was
$2 million. The cash was received before the year end, and as a result the bank overdraft of
Salsa was virtually eliminated at 31 May 20X8. After the year end the transaction was reversed,
and it was agreed that this type of transaction would be carried out again when the interim
financial statements were produced for Salsa, if the company had not been sold by that date.
Required
With reference to the above scenario, discuss how the manipulation of financial statements by
company accountants is inconsistent with their responsibilities as members of the accounting
profession, setting out the distinguishing features of a profession and the privileges that society
gives to a profession. (8 marks)
(b) You are the financial controller of Rumba, a company operating in the retail industry with a
significant number of stores. Rumba has purchased the rights to a number of clothing brands in
the past year in an attempt to boost falling sales and improve profitability. Employees at Rumba
are rewarded with an annual bonus if profits exceed a certain amount at the year end.
You have received the following email from a new junior employee of your finance team, who
recently qualified as an accountant whilst working at a competitor.
To: Rumba Financial Controller
From: Accountant
Re: Improving profits
I used to work in the accounting department at Foxtrot, our key competitor. Just before I left I was
involved in a project to improve Foxtrot's reported profit. One of the proposals considered was to
change some of Foxtrot's accounting policies, all permissible under IFRS, of course.
I made a copy of the proposal document I worked on and think we could use it here at Rumba.
I will forward it on to you. The part of the proposal that I think we should apply to Rumba is to
change our accounting policies for property, plant and equipment and intangible assets by
extending the useful lives of these assets. This is particularly applicable to us because we have
significant property and brand balances.
Please can you let me know what you think? I would appreciate it if you didn't mention that the
proposal came from Foxtrot, because I am still in touch with the Foxtrot finance team and I
wouldn't want it to get back to them!
Required
Write an email to the junior employee, explaining whether or not her suggestion is appropriate.
Your email should include consideration of relevant accounting standards and ethical principles.
(10 marks)
Professional marks will be awarded in this question for the application of ethical principles.
(2 marks)
(Total = 20 marks)
Feedback
Top tips. Question 2 Part (a) required you to discuss the manipulation of financial statements and the
nature of an accountant's responsibilities to the profession and to society. Make sure you relate your
answer to the information regarding the sale of inventory at an inflated price as you are asked to. In
Part (b) you need to explain to the junior accountant why it would not be appropriate to change the
useful lives of assets purely to improve reported profits. Make sure you discuss the ethical reasons as
well as the accounting reasons.
Easy marks. Relating your answer to the ethical principles in Part (b) should be reasonably easy.
Marking guide
Marks
(a) Accounting 4
Ethical discussion 4
8
(b) Accounting 6
Ethical discussion 4
10
Professional marks 2
20
Top tips: This is a mixed question that requires knowledge across a number of areas. It is advisable
to scan read Parts (a) – (d) to identify the parts you are most comfortable with and answer those first,
In Part (a) it is important to consider what the performance obligation is, ie what does the company
have to do to recognise the revenue? Part (b) is a relatively simple discussion of IAS 38 recognition
criteria and accounting treatment. In Part (c) it is important to clearly state whether a sale has or has
not occurred and discuss the accounting treatment that follows. Part (d) requires you to understand
how to account for a simple investment under IFRS 9, discussing the options available for a financial
asset.
Easy marks. There are easy marks available for discussion of IAS 38 in part (b) and the options
available for accounting for financial assets in Part (d).
Marking guide
Marks
Top tips: This question focuses on the International Integrated Reporting Framework, particularly on
human capital. Even if you are not familiar with the features of an integrated report in Part (a)(i), you
should still be able to come up with some common sense answers to the arguments for and against
IR in Part (a)(ii). Part (b)(i) is quite tricky as it requires knowledge of the Integrated Reporting
Framework. Part (b)(ii) should be relatively easy as it requires discussion of the PIRATE criteria for
intangible assets. Part (b)(iii) considers how to account for human assets in a business. Use the basic
definition of an asset provided by the Conceptual Framework as the basis to your answer.
Easy marks. There are easy marks available for discussion of IAS 38 in Part (b)(ii) and whether
human assets meet the definition of an asset in Part (b)(iii).
Marking guide
Marks
(a)(i) Definition 1
1 mark per feature, max 4
5
Professional marks 2
25
(International <IR> Framework: paras. 2.12, 2.15; IAS 38: paras. 57, 67;
Conceptual Framework: paras. 4.4, 4.38)
(a) (i) Features of integrated reporting
An integrated report is a concise communication about how an organisation's strategy,
governance, performance and prospects in the context of its external environment lead to
the creation of value in the short, medium and long term.
It differs from conventional financial reporting in the following ways:
(1) Wider performance appraisal. Integrated reporting is concerned with conveying a
wider message on an entity's performance. It is not solely centred on profit and the
company's financial position but aims to focus on how the organisation's activities
interact to create value over the short, medium and long term. It is thought that by
producing a holistic view of organisational performance that this will lead to improved
management decision-making as business decisions are not taken in isolation.
(2) Value creation. In the context of integrated reporting an organisation's resources are
referred to as 'capitals'. The International Integrated Reporting Council have identified
six capitals which can be used to assess value creation. Increases or decreases in
these capitals indicate the level of value created or lost over a period. Capitals cover
various types of resources found in a standard organisation. These may include
financial capitals, such as the entity's financial reserves, through to its intellectual capital
which is concerned with intellectual property and staff knowledge.
Performance evaluation of the six capitals is central to integrated reporting. The other
capitals are financial capital, manufactured capital, intellectual capital, social and
relationship capital and natural capital.
(3) Short term versus long term. In many ways, integrated reporting forces management
to balance its short term objectives against its longer term plans. Business decisions
which are solely dedicated to the pursuit of increasing profit (financial capital) at the
expense of building good relations with key stakeholders such as customers (social
capital) are likely to hinder value creation in the longer term.
(4) Performance measures. Integrated reporting is not aimed at attaching a monetary
value to every aspect of the organisation's operations. It is fundamentally concerned
with evaluating value creation, and uses qualitative and quantitative performance
measures to help stakeholders assess how well an organisation is creating value. The
use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to convey performance is an effective way of
reporting. For example when providing detail on customer satisfaction, this can be
communicated as the number of customers retained compared to the previous year.
Best practice in integrated reporting requires organisations to report on both positive
and negative movements in 'capital', ensuring that a balanced view of performance is
presented.
(5) Materiality. When preparing an integrated report, management should disclose matters
which are likely to impact on an organisation's ability to create value. Internal
weaknesses and external threats regarded as being materially important are evaluated
and quantified. This provides users with an indication of how management intend to
combat such instances should they materialise.
(ii) Usefulness of integrated reporting
It is generally true that shareholders are mainly interested in profit, and may see additional
reporting beyond legal and regulatory requirements as burdensome. Why add to the
workload, especially as integrated reporting is voluntary? The following points could be
made supporting this argument.
(1) There will be cost implications as systems are upgraded to collect data.
(2) Staff will need extra time for training and adjustments in attitude.
(3) When a company produces its first integrated report, the board may seek external
guidance from an organisation which provides specialist consultancy on reporting. Any
advice is likely to focus on the contents of the report. The consultant's fees are likely to
be significant and will increase the associated implementation costs of introducing
integrated reporting.
(4) There may be a competitive disadvantage in disclosing more information than is
necessary.
(5) It may be difficult to determine which areas to report on and therefore which data to
collect/generate, especially since there are no recognised criteria for determining the
level of importance of each 'capital'.
However, a case may be made in favour of integrated reporting:
(1) While profit is important to shareholders, many will also be interested in how a company
proposes to create value in the future. If the company wishes to appease both groups
its focus should be on maximising shareholder value, the achievement of which requires
the successful implementation of both short and long term strategies.
(2) Shareholders are not the only stakeholders. Unlike traditional annual accounts,
integrated reports highlight the importance of considering a wider range of users. Key
stakeholder groups such as customers and suppliers are likely to be interested in
assessing how the company has met or not met their needs beyond the 'bottom line'.
Integrated reporting encourages companies to report performance measures which are
closely aligned to the concepts of sustainability and corporate social responsibility. This
is implied by the different capitals used: consideration of social relationships and natural
capitals do not focus on financial performance but instead are concerned, for example,
with the impact an organisation's activities have on the natural environment.
(3) Integrated reporting may prove useful to senior management by providing it with a
greater quantity of organisational performance data, and this should identify areas for
improvement. Focusing management's attention on the non-financial aspects of
performance as well as purely financial performance may lead to performance
improvements in those areas. For example, if innovation is highlighted as a key factor in
sustaining long term value, a focus on innovation could help to encourage innovation
within the company.
(b) (i) Human capital
Human capital is one of six capitals in the International Integrated Reporting <IR>
Framework.
Human capital is defined by the <IR> Framework as people's competencies, capabilities
and experience, and their motivations to innovate, including their:
(1) Alignment with and support for an organisation's governance framework, risk
management approach and ethical values
(2) Ability to understand, develop and implement an organisation's strategy
(3) Loyalties and motivations for improving processes, goods and services, including their
ability to lead, manage and collaborate
The <IR> Framework states that the overall stock of capitals will fluctuate over time, and that
there is a continuous flow between and within the capitals as they are increased,
decreased or transformed. It gives an example relating to human capital:
'Where an organisation improves its human capital through employee training, the related
training costs reduce its financial capital. The effect is that financial capital has been
transformed into human capital.'
(ii) Trilevidex
Development expenditure
Development expenditure is only capitalised under IAS 38 Intangible Assets when criteria
demonstrating the existence of future economic benefits are met. The criteria require the
reporting entity to demonstrate all of the following:
(1) Technical feasibility of completing the intangible asset so that it will be available for
use or sale
(2) Intention to complete the intangible asset and use or sell it
(3) Ability to use or sell it
(4) How the intangible asset will generate probable future economic benefits; among
other things, the entity can demonstrate the existence of a market for the output of the
intangible asset or the intangible asset itself or, if it is to be used internally, the
usefulness of the intangible asset
(5) Availability of adequate technical, financial and other resources to complete the
development and to use or sell the intangible asset
(6) Ability to measure reliably the expenditure attributable to the intangible asset during its
development
If these are not met at the year-end in relation to any given project, all expenditure must be
written-off as an expense on a project by project basis.
The costs of Trilevidex appear to meet the IAS 38 criteria from the start of the year and the
following costs can be capitalised into the development asset.
$'000
Salary costs to capitalise 495.4
Consumables to capitalise 381.2
Total 876.6
Training costs are specifically excluded by IAS 38, and may not be capitalised, even if
the training is directly relevant to the product.
The development expenditure relating to the drugs in commercial production should begin to
be amortised over its expected useful life to a nil residual value as of the date when it is
'available for use', ie when commercial production starts.
(iii) Tom Tranter
The Managing Director may be confusing human capital, one of the six capitals in the <IR>
Framework with 'human capital accounting'. Human capital accounting has at its core the
principle that employees are assets. Competitive advantage is largely gained by effective
use of people. This developed into the concept of human asset accounting, which is the
inclusion of human assets in the financial reporting system of the organisation. In turn,
human asset accounting was broadened and became intellectual assets. One of the three
categories of intellectual assets is 'competencies': the capabilities and skills of individuals.
'Intellectual assets' thus includes 'human assets'. In the case of Geova Healthtech, it could
be argued intellectual assets represent a large proportion of its value, and that a key,
talented expert like Tom Tranter is a considerable intellectual asset.
Tom Tranter's 'competencies, capabilities and experience' appear to be a good fit with the
concept of human capital in the <IR> Framework. However, accounting principles do
not allow the recognition of staff resources within the financial statements.
Specifically, the IASB Conceptual Framework has a precise definition of an asset and sets
very specific criteria that must be met for an asset to be recognised in the statement of
financial position.
The definition of an asset in the Conceptual Framework is:
'A resource controlled by an entity as a result of past events and from which future economic
benefits are expected to flow to the entity.'
It can be argued that:
Tom Tranter is a resource
There has been a past event – he was recruited under an employment contract
Future benefits are expected to flow – he is expected to generate revenue for the entity
either directly or indirectly
However:
Control is very hard to prove. Even though a contract exists, Tom Tranter can leave,
take time off sick, or not work to the best of his ability. If he goes to a competitor, the
impact on Team Creovate and Geova Healthech as a whole could be severe.
Also, the recognition criteria from the Conceptual Framework must be met:
There must be probable economic benefits – it is very hard to guarantee benefits
from an employee, however well he or she has performed in the past.
The cost or fair value must be able to be reliably measured – it is very difficult to put
an objective value on staff skills and those skills have not been purchased in a business
transaction.
It is possible to value assets on a fair value basis. However, for staff, this would involve
establishing future cash flows and discounting to present value. It is difficult to see how
this could be achieved on a reliable basis due to the estimation required. The Managing
Director's consultant friend used one model to arrive at a figure of $8 million, but another
model, such as replacement cost, could produce a very different figure.
Therefore as Tom Tranter's skills neither fully meet the definition of an asset nor the
Conceptual Framework's recognition criteria, they should not be recognised as an asset
in the statement of financial position.
Integrated Reporting and financial reporting appear not to be aligned on this matter, but in
fact they are approaching the issue from different points of view. Integrated Reporting is
broader; some of the other capitals are even more subjective than human capital. Thus,
rather than put an artificial figure on human assets, they are best dealt with by way of
narrative reports and disclosures.