Required:
Discuss the principles and practices which should be used in the financial year to 30 November 2008 to account
for:(b) the costs incurred in extending the network; (7 marks)
Required:
Discuss the principles and practices which should be used in the financial year to 30 November 2008 to account
for:(b) the costs incurred in extending the network; (7 marks)
(c) 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. (Your answer should include reference to the
above scenario.) (7 marks)
Note: requirement (c) includes 2 marks for the quality of the discussion.
2 Marrgrett, a public limited company, is currently planning to acquire and sell interests in other entities and has asked
for advice on the impact of IFRS3 (Revised) ‘Business Combinations’ and IAS27 (Revised) ‘Consolidated and Separate
Financial Statements’. The company is particularly concerned about the impact on earnings, net assets and goodwill
at the acquisition date and any ongoing earnings impact that the new standards may have.
The company is considering purchasing additional shares in an associate, Josey, a public limited company. The
holding will increase from 30% stake to 70% stake by offering the shareholders of Josey, cash and shares in
Marrgrett. Marrgrett anticipates that it will pay $5 million in transaction costs to lawyers and bankers. Josey had
previously been the subject of a management buyout. In order that the current management shareholders may remain
in the business, Marrgrett is going to offer them share options in Josey subject to them remaining in employment for
two years after the acquisition. Additionally, Marrgrett will offer the same shareholders, shares in the holding company
which are contingent upon a certain level of profitability being achieved by Josey. Each shareholder will receive shares
of the holding company up to a value of $50,000, if Josey achieves a pre-determined rate of return on capital
employed for the next two years.
Josey has several marketing-related intangible assets that are used primarily in marketing or promotion of its products.
These include trade names, internet domain names and non-competition agreements. These are not currently
recognised in Josey’s financial statements.
Marrgrett does not wish to measure the non-controlling interest in subsidiaries on the basis of the proportionate
interest in the identifiable net assets, but wishes to use the ‘full goodwill’ method on the transaction. Marrgrett is
unsure as to whether this method is mandatory, or what the effects are of recognising ‘full goodwill’. Additionally the
company is unsure as to whether the nature of the consideration would affect the calculation of goodwill.
To finance the acquisition of Josey, Marrgrett intends to dispose of a partial interest in two subsidiaries. Marrgrett will
retain control of the first subsidiary but will sell the controlling interest in the second subsidiary which will become
an associate. Because of its plans to change the overall structure of the business, Marrgrett wishes to recognise a
re-organisation provision at the date of the business combination.
Required:
Discuss the principles and the nature of the accounting treatment of the above plans under International Financial
Reporting Standards setting out any impact that IFRS3 (Revised) ‘Business Combinations’ and IAS27 (Revised)
‘Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements’ might have on the earnings and net assets of the group.
Note: this requirement includes 2 professional marks for the quality of the discussion.
(25 marks)
Discuss the principles and practices which should be used in the financial year to 30 November 2008 to account
for:(c) the purchase of handsets and the recognition of revenue from customers and dealers. (8 marks)
Appropriateness and quality of discussion. (2 marks)
5 The directors of Quapaw, a limited liability company, are reviewing the company’s draft financial statements for the
year ended 31 December 2004.
The following material matters are under discussion:
(a) During the year the company has begun selling a product with a one-year warranty under which manufacturing
defects are remedied without charge. Some claims have already arisen under the warranty. (2 marks)
Required:
Advise the directors on the correct treatment of these matters, stating the relevant accounting standard which
justifies your answer in each case.
NOTE: The mark allocation is shown against each of the three matters
3 Johan, a public limited company, operates in the telecommunications industry. The industry is capital intensive with
heavy investment in licences and network infrastructure. Competition in the sector is fierce and technological
advances are a characteristic of the industry. Johan has responded to these factors by offering incentives to customers
and, in an attempt to acquire and retain them, Johan purchased a telecom licence on 1 December 2006 for
$120 million. The licence has a term of six years and cannot be used until the network assets and infrastructure are
ready for use. The related network assets and infrastructure became ready for use on 1 December 2007. Johan could
not operate in the country without the licence and is not permitted to sell the licence. Johan expects its subscriber
base to grow over the period of the licence but is disappointed with its market share for the year to 30 November
2008. The licence agreement does not deal with the renewal of the licence but there is an expectation that the
regulator will grant a single renewal for the same period of time as long as certain criteria regarding network build
quality and service quality are met. Johan has no experience of the charge that will be made by the regulator for the
renewal but other licences have been renewed at a nominal cost. The licence is currently stated at its original cost of
$120 million in the statement of financial position under non-current assets.
Johan is considering extending its network and has carried out a feasibility study during the year to 30 November
2008. The design and planning department of Johan identified five possible geographical areas for the extension of
its network. The internal costs of this study were $150,000 and the external costs were $100,000 during the year
to 30 November 2008. Following the feasibility study, Johan chose a geographical area where it was going to install
a base station for the telephone network. The location of the base station was dependent upon getting planning
permission. A further independent study has been carried out by third party consultants in an attempt to provide a
preferred location in the area, as there is a need for the optimal operation of the network in terms of signal quality
and coverage. Johan proposes to build a base station on the recommended site on which planning permission has
been obtained. The third party consultants have charged $50,000 for the study. Additionally Johan has paid
$300,000 as a single payment together with $60,000 a month to the government of the region for access to the land
upon which the base station will be situated. The contract with the government is for a period of 12 years and
commenced on 1 November 2008. There is no right of renewal of the contract and legal title to the land remains with
the government.
Johan purchases telephone handsets from a manufacturer for $200 each, and sells the handsets direct to customers
for $150 if they purchase call credit (call card) in advance on what is called a prepaid phone. The costs of selling the
handset are estimated at $1 per set. The customers using a prepaid phone pay $21 for each call card at the purchase
date. Call cards expire six months from the date of first sale. There is an average unused call credit of $3 per card
after six months and the card is activated when sold.
Johan also sells handsets to dealers for $150 and invoices the dealers for those handsets. The dealer can return the
handset up to a service contract being signed by a customer. When the customer signs a service contract, the
customer receives the handset free of charge. Johan allows the dealer a commission of $280 on the connection of a
customer and the transaction with the dealer is settled net by a payment of $130 by Johan to the dealer being the
cost of the handset to the dealer ($150) deducted from the commission ($280). The handset cannot be sold
separately by the dealer and the service contract lasts for a 12 month period. Dealers do not sell prepaid phones, and
Johan receives monthly revenue from the service contract.
The chief operating officer, a non-accountant, has asked for an explanation of the accounting principles and practices
which should be used to account for the above events.
Required:
Discuss the principles and practices which should be used in the financial year to 30 November 2008 to account
for:
(a) the licences; (8 marks)
4 Whilst acknowledging the importance of high quality corporate reporting, the recommendations to improve it are
sometimes questioned on the basis that the marketplace for capital can determine the nature and quality of corporate
reporting. It could be argued that additional accounting and disclosure standards would only distort a market
mechanism that already works well and would add costs to the reporting mechanism, with no apparent benefit. It
could be said that accounting standards create costly, inefficient, and unnecessary regulation. It could be argued that
increased disclosure reduces risks and offers a degree of protection to users. However, increased disclosure has several
costs to the preparer of financial statements.
Required:
(a) Explain why accounting standards are needed to help the market mechanism work effectively for the benefit
of preparers and users of corporate reports. (9 marks)
(b) During the inventory count on 31 December, some goods which had cost $80,000 were found to be damaged.
In February 2005 the damaged goods were sold for $85,000 by an agent who received a 10% commission out
of the sale proceeds. (2 marks)
Required:
Advise the directors on the correct treatment of these matters, stating the relevant accounting standard which
justifies your answer in each case.
NOTE: The mark allocation is shown against each of the three matters.
(c) In August 2004 it was discovered that the inventory at 31 December 2003 had been overstated by $100,000.
(4 marks)
Required:
Advise the directors on the correct treatment of these matters, stating the relevant accounting standard which
justifies your answer in each case.
NOTE: The mark allocation is shown against each of the three matters.
(b) Discuss the relative costs to the preparer and benefits to the users of financial statements of increased
disclosure of information in financial statements. (14 marks)
Quality of discussion and reasoning. (2 marks)
(ii) Construct the argument against Professor West’s opinion, and in favour of Professor Leroi’s opinion that
a principles-based approach would be preferable in developing countries. Your answer should consider
the particular situations of developing countries. (10 marks)