EY - Understanding ASPE Section 1510FILE/EY-Understanding_ASPE_Section_1510.pdfTitle EY -...

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Understanding ASPE Section 1510, Current Assets and Current Liabilities

Transcript of EY - Understanding ASPE Section 1510FILE/EY-Understanding_ASPE_Section_1510.pdfTitle EY -...

Page 1: EY - Understanding ASPE Section 1510FILE/EY-Understanding_ASPE_Section_1510.pdfTitle EY - Understanding ASPE Section 1510 Author EY Subject Understanding ASPE Section 1510, Current

Understanding ASPE Section 1510, Current Assets and Current Liabilities

Page 2: EY - Understanding ASPE Section 1510FILE/EY-Understanding_ASPE_Section_1510.pdfTitle EY - Understanding ASPE Section 1510 Author EY Subject Understanding ASPE Section 1510, Current

2 | Understanding ASPE Section 1510, Current Assets and Current Liabilities

Five questions for private business owners: Current Assets and Current LiabilitiesA better working world begins with better questions. Asking better questions leads to better answers. To help preparers of financial statements with Canadian accounting standards for private enterprises (“ASPE”) Section 1510, Current Assets and Current Liabilities, we’ve summarized the key aspects of the Section and offer relevant practical considerations for private mid-market companies through answering five commonly asked questions.

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What is the purpose and scope of Section 1510?

Section 1510, Current Assets and Current Liabilities, explains the standards for presentation and disclosure of these items. While most enterprises normally segregate current and non-current assets and liabilities on their balance sheet, there are exceptions in certain industries.

When would a reporting enterprise not present a classified balance sheet?

As described in paragraph 1510.02, assets and liabilities are normally segregated between current and non-current. This segregation, however, might not be appropriate in financial statements of companies in certain industries. For example, an enterprise in the real estate development industry that incurs and capitalizes costs over a number of years to develop a real estate asset does not have a defined operating cycle and therefore the current and non-current classifications are not necessarily applicable.

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n3 How are assets and liabilities segregated between current and non-current?

As noted in paragraph 1510.03, current assets shall include those assets ordinarily realizable within one year from the date of the balance sheet or within the normal operating cycle, when it is longer than a year. Operating cycle is not defined in ASPE, however as an example, a manufacturing company’s normal operating cycle could be the time it takes to pay for materials and convert them into finished goods, sell the goods and receive payment from its customers.

Current assets are segregated between the main classes, such as cash, investments, accounts and notes receivable, inventories, prepaid expenses and future income tax assets. Investments classified as a current asset would include only those investments that are capable of reasonably prompt liquidation, such as marketable securities and treasury bills. Assets that are not realizable within a year (or the length of the normal operating cycle if it is longer) are determined to be non-current; examples are property, plant and equipment and trademarks.

Paragraph 1510.08 indicates that current liabilities are those that are payable within one year from the date of the balance sheet or within the normal operating cycle, when that is longer than a year. Some of the main classes of current assets are bank loans, trade creditors and accrued liabilities, loans payable, taxes payable, dividends payable, deferred revenues, current payments on long-term debt and future income taxes. A non-current liability is one which is not due within one year from the date of the balance sheet or within the normal operating cycle, when it is longer than a year. An example would be a mortgage or other long-term loan with payment terms extending beyond 12 months (or beyond the normal operating cycle if it is longer) of the balance sheet date.

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Understanding ASPE Section 1510, Current Assets and Current Liabilities | 3

To learn more about these items or for application guidance, please contact our Private Mid-Market practice at [email protected].

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n5 When is an obligation that would otherwise be classified as a current liability, such as debt due on demand, presented as non-current?

In most cases, debt due on demand must be classified as a current liability because it could be called, and therefore payment could be required, at any time. In other words, there are no terms of the debt that give the borrower the ability to delay repayment for a period of longer than one year (or one operating cycle if longer) from the balance sheet date. That being said, there are circumstances that may allow a company to classify debt due on demand as a non-current liability. As described in paragraph 1510.13, debt due on demand may be presented as non-current if:

(a) The creditor has waived, in writing, or subsequently lost, the right to demand payment for more than one year (or operating cycle if longer) from the balance sheet date;

(b) The obligation has been refinanced on a long-term basis before the balance sheet is completed; or

(c) The debtor has entered into a non-cancellable agreement to refinance the short-term obligation on a long-term basis before the balance sheet is completed and there is no impediment to the completion of the refinancing.

As noted in paragraph 1510.14, long-term debt with a measureable covenant violation is another example of a liability that would be classified as a current liability. There are, however, circumstances that might allow such a liability to be presented as non-current, including if:

(a) The creditor has waived, in writing, or subsequently lost, the right, arising from violation of the covenant at the balance sheet date, to demand repayment for a period of more than one year from the balance sheet date; or

(b) The debt agreement contains a grace period during which the debtor may cure the violation and contractual arrangements have been made that ensure the violation will be cured within the grace period;

and a violation of the debt covenant giving the creditor the right to demand repayment at a future compliance date within one year of the balance sheet date is not likely.

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n4 What is callable debt and how does ASPE suggest that it should be presented on the balance sheet?

Callable debt is a form of debt that has repayment terms that extend beyond 12 months; however the lender has the right to call for repayment from the borrower at any time. As this debt is effectively due on demand, the loan must be classified as a current liability. However illustrative example 2 in Section 1510 provides a method to present callable debt such that the portion of the debt that is due within 12 months and the portion that is due beyond 12 months are separately presented.

To illustrate this, imagine a 5 year, $25 million callable loan that calls for $5 million to be paid back annually. As the entire amount of the debt is due on demand, it must be classified as current. However, the aforementioned illustrative example would present the first $5 million of the loan as a current liability along with all the other current liabilities of the company, then a sub-total entitled “current liabilities before callable debt” would be shown, followed by the $20 million long-term portion of the callable debt which would then be included in a “total current liabilities” sub-total.

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1567865 ED NoneThis publication contains information in summary form, current as of the date of publication, and is intended for general guidance only. It should not be regarded as comprehensive or a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any particular course of action, contact Ernst & Young or another professional advisor to discuss these matters in the context of your particular circumstances. We accept no responsibility for any loss or damage occasioned by your reliance on information contained in this publication.

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