Related party disclosures – shrug and move on?

A European example of related party disclosures omitted from interim financial statements Here’s another of the issues arising from extracts of enforcement decisions issued in the past by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) (for more background see here); this is from their 13th edition: “The issuer manufactures industrial metals. One major shareholder owned…

Intangible assets – the rules of the game

A European example of an issue relating to the useful life of intangible assets Here’s another of the issues arising from extracts of enforcement decisions issued in the past by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) (for more background see here); this is from their 13th edition: “The issuer is a listed company specialising…

Impairment – problems with cash flow estimates

Here’s another of the issues arising from extracts of enforcement decisions issued in the past by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) (for more background see here); this is from their 13th edition: “The issuer recognised in its statement of financial position a significant amount of goodwill exceeding 100% of its equity. For the…

All at sea: issues with residual values

A European example of problems in depreciation calculations Here’s another of the issues arising from extracts of enforcement decisions issued in the past by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) (for more background see here); this is from their 13th edition: “The issuer both owns and operates a fleet comprising supply and subsea vessels…

IFRS – isn’t it time to grow up?

IASB Vice-Chair Iain Mackintosh’s recent speech titled The Importance and Challenges of Establishing Standards for Global Finance isn’t as obviously flimsy as some  of the public addresses by Chair Hans Hoogervorst, but it’s rather strange in a different way. Take the following: “If investor and investee are increasingly likely to be sitting on different sides of…

Prudence in standard-setting: you know it when you don’t see it?

Looking for more insight into the ongoing debate in Europe about the role of prudence in the IASB’s conceptual framework, I came across Getting a Better Framework: Prudence, a bulletin issued a year or so ago by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group. The document provides a useful overview of the diverse notions of prudence…

Definition of a business: the sum of the parts

A European example of a disagreement about what constitutes a business In numerous recent posts, I’ve looked at issues arising from extracts of enforcement decisions recently issued by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) (for more background see here). I came late to this party though, because ESMA had actually issued similar summaries on…