IRR How to calculate

IRR How to calculate

The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is the discount rate that makes the net present value (NPV) of a project zero. In other words, it is the expected compound annual rate of return that will be earned on a project or investment.

When calculating IRR, expected cash flows for a project or investment are given and the NPV equals zero. Put another way, the initial cash investment for the beginning period will be equal to the present value of the future cash flows of that investment. (Cost paid = present value of future cash flows, and hence, the net present value = 0).

Once the internal rate of return is determined, it is typically compared to a company’s hurdle rate or cost of capital. If the IRR is greater than or equal to the cost of capital, the company would accept the project as a good investment. (That is, of course, assuming this is the sole basis for the decision).

In reality, there are many other quantitative and qualitative factors that are considered in an investment decision). If the IRR is lower than the hurdle rate, then it would be rejected, if IRR is the only investment consideration.

Under IFRS 16 ‘Leases’, a similar calculation is used to calculate discount rates are used to determine the present value of the lease payments used to measure a lessee’s lease liability. Discount rates are also used to determine lease classification for a lessor and to measure a lessor’s net investment in a lease.

For lessees, the lease payments are required to be discounted using:

For lessors, the discount rate will always be the interest rate implicit in the lease.

The interest rate implicit in the lease is defined in IFRS 16 as ‘the rate of interest that causes the present value of (a) the lease payments and (b) the unguaranteed residual value to equal the sum of (i) the fair value of the underlying asset and (ii) any initial direct costs of the lessor.’

The lessee’s incremental borrowing rate is defined in IFRS 16 as ‘the rate of interest that a lessee would have to pay to borrow over a similar term, and with a similar security, the funds necessary to obtain an asset of a similar value to the right-of-use asset in a similar economic environment’.

The incremental borrowing rate is determined on the commencement date of the lease. As a result, it will incorporate the impact of significant economic events and other changes in circumstances arising between lease inception and commencement.

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IFRS 15 Pre-Contract Establishment Date activities – Important to know

Pre-Contract Establishment Date activities

or

Partially Satisfied Performance Obligations Before the Identification of a Contract

Entities sometimes begin activities on a specific anticipated contract with their customer before (1) the parties have agreed to all of the contract terms or (2) the contract meets the criteria in step 1 (see Step 1 Identify the contract) of IFRS 15. The IASB staff refer to the date on which the contract meets the step 1 criteria as the “contract establishment date” (CED) and refer to activities performed before the CED as “pre-CED activities.”

TRG Update — Pre-CED Activities

The FASB and IASB staffs noted that stakeholders have identified two issues with respect to pre-CED activities:

  • How to recognize revenue from pre-CED activities.
  • How to account for certain fulfillment costs incurred before the CED.

The TRG discussed these issues in March 2015.

TRG members generally agreed with the staffs’ conclusion that once the criteria in step 1 have been met, entities should recognize revenue for pre-CED activities on a cumulative catch-up basis (i.e., record revenue as of the CED for all satisfied or partially satisfied performance obligations) rather than prospectively because cumulative catch-up is more consistent with the new revenue standard’s core principle.

The two Q&A below demonstrates the application of the TRG’s general agreement.

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Control of an economic resource

Control of an economic resource – This is all about: A present economic resource controlled by the entity as a result of past events.

Two very simple examples to start with:

Pat Co has purchased a patent for $20,000. The patent gives the company sole use of a particular manufacturing process which will save $3,000 a year for the next five years.

This is an asset, albeit an intangible one. There is a past event, control and future economic benefit (through cost savings).

Baldwin Co (the company) paid Don Brennan $10,000 to set up a car repair shop, on condition that priority treatment is given to cars from the company’s fleet.

This cannot be classified as an asset. Baldwin Co

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Lease calculation – IFRS 16 Structured best approach

Lease calculation

Lease calculation provides a logical model to understand the calculations that have to be made in accounting for IFRS 16 Leases. In addition a lease contract calculation Excel model is provided to do the work. IFRS 16 Structured best approach

The 5-step lease calculations model

Use the 5-step lease calculations model to systematically document your lease calculations.

Step 1. Identification of a lease contract

a) When should this assessment be made?

An entity is required to assess whether a contract is, or contains a lease at the inception of the contract.

There is a difference between the inception date of the contract and the commencement date of the lease as follows:

Inception Date of the Contract

Commencement Date of the Lease

Is the earlier of the date of:

  • A lease agreement; and
  • A commitment by the parties to the principal terms and conditions of the lease.

The date on which a lessor makes an underlying asset available for use by a lessee.

b) When Does a Lease Exist?

A lease exists where the contract grants the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration.

Control over the use of an identified asset for a period of time is conveyed when, the customer has both of the following throughout the period of use (IFRS 16.B9):

  1. The right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from use of the identified asset; and
  2. The right to direct the use of the identified asset. IFRS 16 Structured best approach

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Sale and leaseback accounting under IFRS 16

Sale and leaseback accounting

A sale and lease back transaction is a popular way for entities to secure long-term financing from substantial property, plant and equipment assets such as land and buildings. IFRS 16 made significant changes to sale and lease back accounting in comparison with IAS 17. A sale and leaseback transaction is one where an entity (the seller-lessee) transfers an asset to another entity (the buyer-lessor) for consideration and leases that asset back from the buyer-lessor.

The IFRS 16 guidance on ‘failed sales’ means that some sale-and-lease back transactions are accounted for as pure financing transactions by both lessors and lessees.

In a sale-and-lease back transaction, a company (the seller-lessee) transfers an underlying asset … Read more

Sub-leases of real estate – IFRS 16 Best short read

Sub-leases of real estate

New classification guidance means that more sub-leases are finance leases under IFRS 16 than previously, impacting the financial position and financial performance of intermediate landlords.

A sub-lease is a transaction in which a lessee (or ‘intermediate lessor’) grants a right to use the underlying asset to a third party, and the lease (or ‘head lease’) between the original lessor and lessee remains in effect. (IFRS 16.3)

A company applies IFRS 16 to all leases of right-of-use assets in a sub-lease. The intermediate lessor accounts for the head lease and the sub-lease as two different contracts.

Sub-leases of real estate

An intermediate lessor classifies the sub-lease as a finance lease or as an operating lease with reference to the right-of-use asset arising from the head lease. That is, the intermediate lessor treats the right-of-use asset as the underlying asset in the sub-lease, not the item of property, plant or equipment that it leases from the head lessor. (IFRS 16.B58)

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Focus definition or best trends in IFRS reporting based on IAS 1

To demonstrate what companies could do to improve the readability of their financial report and make it easier for users to find the information they need, here are some thoughts for changing your financial report. In particular:

  • Information is organised to clearly tell the story of financial performance and make critical information more prominent and easier to find.
  • Additional information is included where it is important for an understanding of the performance of the company.

For example, include a summary of significant transactions and events as the first note to the financial statements even though this is not a required disclosure.

Accounting policies that are significant and specific to the entity are disclosed along with other relevant information, in the section ‘How did we arrive at these numbers?’ While other accounting policies are listed in note 25, this is for completeness purposes. Entities should consider their own individual circumstances and only include policies that are relevant to their financial statements.

The structure of financial reports should reflect the particular circumstances of the company and the likely priorities of its report readers. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach and companies should engage with their investors to determine what would be most relevant to them. The structure used in this publication is not meant to be used as a template, but to provide you with possible ideas. It will not necessarily be suitable for all companies.

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Landlord Lease modifications

Landlord Lease modifications / Rental modifications

Accounting for lease modifications has become a hot topic due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with many tenants seeking rent concessions and other changes to lease agreements.

Unlike IAS 17, IFRS 16 provides detailed guidance on the lessor accounting for lease modifications, with separate guidance for modifications to finance leases and operating leases.

A lease modification is a change in the scope of a lease, or the consideration for a lease, that was not part of its original terms and conditions. Common examples are:

  • decreasing the scope of the lease by removing the right to use one or more underlying assets;
  • decreasing the scope of the lease by shortening the contractual lease term; and
  • changing the consideration in the lease by increasing or decreasing the lease payments.

Changes that result from renegotiations of the original contract are lease modifications.

The exercise of an option included in the original lease contract is not a modification. There is no lease modification when a lessor reassesses the lease term if:

  • the lessee exercises an option not previously included in the lessor’s determination of the lease term;
  • the lessee does not exercise an option previously included in the lessor’s determination of the lease term;
  • an event occurs that contractually obliges the lessee to exercise an option not previously included by the lessor; or
  • an event occurs that contractually prohibits the lessee from exercising an option previously included by the lessor (see Changes in the lease term).

The following diagram summarises the accounting for lease modifications by a lessor/landlord.

Original lease is a finance lease

Change to contractual terms and conditions

Original lease is an operating lease

Increase in scope of lease by adding right of use for one or more underlying assets and at stand-alone price for increase

All other contract modifications.

Classification at inception if modification had been in effect then as:

Operating lease

Finance lease

Separate lease

Not a separate lease

Apply IFRS 9

Modifications to operating leases

Food for thought – When does a lessor account for a lease modification?

Similar to a lessee, a lessor accounts for modifications to operating and finance leases on the effective date of the modification. This is the date when both parties agree to the lease modification. (IFRS 16.79–80, IFRS 16.87)

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Definition of Material – Important changes to IAS 1 and IAS 8

Definition of Material

The Definition of Material (with amendments to IAS 1 and IAS 8) puts the spotlight on:

  • Applying materiality when preparing financial statements, by:

    • Encouriging IFRS reporting specialists to use materiality as a filter
    • Redefining the definition and existing guidance aim to help preparers apply judgement
    • Making amendments on account policy disclosures, and
    • Providing further guidance on disclosures

Materiality as a filter

Making information in financial statements more relevant and less cluttered has been one of the key focus areas for the International Accounting Standards Board (the Board replace by IASB).

Companies make materiality judgements not only when making decisions about recognition and measurement, but also when deciding what information to disclose and how to present it. However, management are often uncertain about how to apply the concept of materiality to disclosure, and find it easier to defer to using the disclosure requirements within the International Financial Reporting Standards as a checklist.

Up to now, the wording of the definition of material in the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting differed from the wording used in IAS 1 and IAS 8. The existence of more than one definition of material was potentially confusing, leading to questions over whether the definitions had different meanings or should be applied differently.

These amendments on accounting policy disclosures will enable IFRS reporting specialists documenting the decisions as to which accounting policies have been disclosed in the financial statements.
The focus on company-specific information
should further encourage tailored disclosure.

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