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ASIC Commissioner Kate O’Rourke said, “The areas announced today will be the focus of our proactive financial reporting and audit surveillance program. They will be informed by key findings in Report 774 ASIC’s first integrated financial reporting and audit surveillance report (REP 774). We expect preparers, directors, and auditors to pay particular attention to these focus areas in a collective effort to improve financial reporting and audit quality.
ASIC will continue to focus on the financial reporting elements that require the most judgement and make the most use of estimates.”
Note that this document is heavily based on 24-101MR as issued by ASIC and accessed on 15 May 2024. Certain additions/amendments have been made for clarity and/or inclusion of additional guidance only.
OVERVIEW
The Media Release highlights ASIC’s expectation that directors, preparers, and auditors focus on the areas of:
impairment and asset values;
provisions;
events occurring after year-end and before completing the financial report; and
disclosures in the financial report and Operating and Financial Review (OFR).
These items are explored in more detail in the Appendix to this document.
ASIC will review the full-year financial reports of selected listed entities and other public interest entities for each reporting period. This includes large proprietary companies that were formerly exempt from lodging audited financial statements with ASIC (grandfathered companies) but are now required to lodge. From 30 June 2024, registrable superannuation entities will also be part of ASIC’s financial reporting and audit surveillance program.
Furthermore, ASIC has emphasised directors’ primary responsibility for the quality of the financial report. This involves ensuring that management produces quality and timely financial information for audit, supported by robust position papers with appropriate analysis and conclusions referencing relevant accounting standards. Companies must have appropriate processes, records and analysis to support information in the financial report.
The Operating and Financial Review (OFR) should complement the financial report and explain how the entity’s businesses are performing. The underlying drivers of the results and financial position should be explained, as well as risks, management strategies and future prospects. Forward-looking information should have a reasonable basis and the market should be updated through continuous disclosure if circumstances change. Further guidance can be found in ASIC's Regulatory Guide 247Effective disclosure in an operating and financial review.
THE REPORTING PROCESS
ASIC expects appropriate experience and expertise to be applied in the reporting and audit processes, particularly in more difficult and complex areas, such as asset values, provisions and other estimates.
The circumstances in which judgements on accounting estimates and forward-looking information have been made, and the basis for those judgements, should be properly documented at the time and disclosed as appropriate.
Audit fees should be reasonable and have regard to any increased costs for auditors and additional audit effort required in judgement areas.
ASIC Surveillance
ASIC plans to review the full-year financial reports of selected listed entities and other public interest entities as at 30 June 2024.
APPENDIX
Examples of matters that may require the focus of directors, preparers and auditors in relation to asset values in the current environment include:
Impairment of non-financial assets
Goodwill, indefinite useful life intangible assets and intangible assets not yet available for use must be tested for impairment annually. Entities adversely impacted in the current environment may have new or continuing indicators of impairment that require impairment testing for other non-financial assets. The appropriateness of key assumptions supporting the recoverable amount of non-financial assets.
The valuation method used for impairment testing should be appropriate, use reasonable and supportable assumptions, and be cross checked for reliability using other relevant methods.
An entity’s market capitalisation will generally not represent an appropriate fair value estimate for its underlying business but may be useful as an impairment indicator or in a valuation cross-check. Share prices may reflect transactions of relatively small proportionate interests as part of an investor’s strategy for a share portfolio. Business may be sold in illiquid markets with few potential participants. A business acquirer may seek synergistic benefits or make significant changes to a business.
Values from applying the ratio of market capitalisation to revenue for other entities to the entity’s own revenue will generally be more appropriately used in valuation cross-checks. Information may be dated and the limitations in using an entity’s own market capitalisation may apply. Further, the other entities must have closely comparable businesses, products, markets, cost structures, funding etc.
Disclosure of estimation uncertainties, changing key assumptions, and sensitivity analysis or information on probability-weighted scenarios.
Values of property assets
Factors that could adversely affect commercial and residential property values should be considered such as changes in office space requirements of tenants, on-line shopping trends, future economic or industry impacts on tenants and the financial condition of tenants.
The lease accounting requirements and the impairment of lessee right-of-use assets.
Expected credit losses on loans and receivables
Whether key assumptions used in determining expected credit losses are reasonable and supportable.
Any need for more reliable and up-to-date information about the circumstances of borrowers and debtors.
Short-term liquidity issues, financial condition and earning capacity of borrowers and debtors.
Ensuring the accuracy of ageing of receivables.
Using forward looking assumptions and not assuming recent debts will all be collectable.
The extent to which past history of credit losses remains relevant in assessing expected credit losses.
Whether possible future losses have been adequately factored in, using probability weighted scenarios as necessary.
Disclosure of estimation uncertainties and key assumptions.
Expected credit losses should be a focus for companies in the financial sector. Financial institutions should have particular regard to the impact of current economic and market conditions and uncertainties on expected credit losses. This includes assessing whether there are significant increases in credit risk for particular groups of lenders; adequacy of data, modelling, controls and governance in determining expected credit losses; and disclosing uncertainties and assumptions.
Financial asset classification
Financial assets are appropriately measured at amortised cost, fair value through other comprehensive income or fair value through profit and loss. Criteria for using amortised cost include whether both:
assets are held in a business model whose objective is to hold the assets to collect contractual cash flows; and
contractual terms give rise on specific dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal outstanding.
Value of other assets
The net realisable value of inventories, including whether all estimated costs of completion and necessary to make the sale have been considered in determining net realisable value.
Whether it is probable that deferred tax assets will be realised.
The value of investments in unlisted entities.
Consideration should be given to the need for and adequacy of provisions for matters such as onerous contracts, leased property make good, mine site restoration, financial guarantees given and restructuring.
Events occurring after year-end and before completing the financial report should be reviewed as to whether they affect assets, liabilities, income or expenses at year-end or relate to new conditions requiring disclosure.
Considerations on disclosure include:
General considerations
When considering the information that should be disclosed in the financial report and OFR, directors and preparers should put themselves in the shoes of investors and consider what information investors would want to know.
Disclosures should be specific to the circumstances of the entity and its businesses, assets, financial position and performance.
Changes from the previous period should be considered and disclosed.
Disclosures in the financial report
Uncertainties may lead to a wider range of valid judgements on asset values and estimates. The financial report should disclose uncertainties, changing key assumptions and sensitivities. This will assist investors in understanding the approach taken, understanding potential future impacts and making comparisons between entities. Entities should also explain where uncertainties have changed since the previous full-year and half-year financial reports.
The appropriate classification of assets and liabilities between current and non-current categories on the statement of financial position should be considered. That may have regard to matters such as maturity dates, payment terms and compliance with debt covenants.
Disclosures in the OFR
The OFR should complement the financial report and tell the story of how the entity’s businesses, results and prospects are impacted by economic and market conditions and changing circumstances. The overall picture should be clear, understandable, and be supported by information that will enable investors to understand the significant factors affecting the entity, its businesses and the value of its assets.
The OFR should explain the underlying drivers of the results and financial position, as well as risks, management strategies and future prospects.
All significant factors should be included and given appropriate prominence.
The most significant business risks at whole-of-entity level that could affect the achievement of the disclosed financial performance or outcomes should be provided, including a discussion of environmental, social and governance risks. The risks will vary depending upon the nature and businesses of the entity and its business strategies. An exhaustive list of generic risks that might potentially affect a large number of entities would not be helpful. Risks should be described in context – for example, why the risk is important or significant and its potential impact and, where relevant, factors within the control of management.
Climate change risk could have a material impact on the future prospects of entities and need to be disclosed. Directors are encouraged to engage closely with the Australian Government’s proposed mandatory climate reporting reforms, which are proposed to apply to entities that are required to prepare financial reports under Chapter 2M of the Corporations Act. The first tier of companies is proposed to report for financial years commencing from 1 January 2025. Directors and entities should start preparing and putting into place the necessary governance arrangements. In the meantime, entities with material climate-related risks should look to report voluntarily in line with the recommendations of the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and ensure that any voluntary statements made are not misleading.
Cyber security risks could have a material impact for particular entities and require disclosure.
Non-IFRS financial information
Any non-IFRS profit measures (i.e. measures not in accordance with all relevant accounting standards) in the OFR or market announcements should not be presented in a potentially misleading manner (see Regulatory Guide 230 Disclosing non-IFRS financial information).
Disclosure in half-year reports
Disclosure will also be important for half-year financial reports and directors’ reports as at 30 June 2024. Half-year reports should disclose information on significant developments and changes in circumstances since 31 December 2024.
The recently passed Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Multinationals Pay Their Fair Share - Integrity and Transparency) Act 2024 (“the Act”) amends the Corporations Act 2001 to require all listed and unlisted public companies to include a new “consolidated entity disclosure statement” in their financial reports. These changes are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 July 2023 and will apply for the first time at 30 June 2024.
The new disclosure statement requires details of all consolidated entities as at the end of the financial year including names, ownership interests, place of incorporation and tax residency. The Act also requires Directors to declare whether, in their opinion, the Consolidated Entity Disclosure Statement is true and correct. Additionally, this declaration must be made by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer where the public company is listed on a securities exchange.
ASIC will review how auditors are complying with auditor independence requirements in the Corporations Act, and ethical and independence requirements contained in the Australian Auditing Standards.
Areas of concern specifically highlighted under the implementation of ASQM 1 Quality Management for Firms that Perform Audits or Reviews of Financial Reports and Other Financial Information, or Other Assurance or Related Services Engagements by audit firms include:
significant variability among firms in the implementation the framework;
in some cases, a lack of sophistication and suitability of tools used to manage quality;
limited domestic guidance around how to measure and classify the severity of findings and deficiencies, and a lack of objectivity in assessments; and
examples of firms taking a hurried approach to remediation of findings and deficiencies to achieve a favourable conclusion before the reporting deadline.
If you wish to discuss any of the information included in this Technical Accounting Alert, please get in touch with your local Grant Thornton Australia contact or a member of the National Assurance Quality Team using the link below.
The purpose of this Alert is to draw attention to the Consultation Paper CP 380 Sustainability reporting (consultation paper) and accompanying draft regulatory guide RG 000 Sustainability reporting (draft regulatory guidance) published by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) on 7 November 2024.
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