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IFRS 2022 update – IFRS 16 Lease Liability in a Sale and Leaseback – Best read

18/03/2023 by 75385885

IFRS 2022 update – IFRS 16 Lease Liability in a Sale and Leaseback

Effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2024.

Key requirements

On 22 September 2022, the International Accounting Standards Board (the IASB or Board) issued Lease Liability in a Sale and Leaseback (Amendments to IFRS 16) (the amendment). The amendment to IFRS 16 Leases specifies the requirements that a seller-lessee uses in measuring the lease liability arising in a sale and leaseback transaction, to ensure the seller-lessee does not recognise any amount of the gain or loss that relates to the right of use it retains.

A sale and leaseback transaction involves the transfer of an asset by an entity (the seller-lessee) to another entity (the buyer-lessor) and the leaseback of the same asset by the seller-lessee.

The amendment is intended to improve the requirements for sale and leaseback transactions in IFRS 16. It does not change the accounting for leases unrelated to sale and leaseback transactions. IFRS 16 Lease Liability in a Sale and Leaseback

Background

In a sale and leaseback transaction, the seller-lessee assesses whether the transfer of the asset satisfies the requirements in IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers to be accounted for as a sale. If it is accounted for as a sale, paragraph 100(a) of IFRS 16 requires the seller-lessee to measure the right-of-use asset arising from the leaseback at the proportion of the previous carrying amount of the asset that relates to the right of use retained by the seller-lessee.

However, IFRS 16 did not specify the measurement of the liability that arises in a sale and leaseback transaction. This has been addressed in the amendment.

Amendment to IFRS 16

After the commencement date in a sale and leaseback transaction, the seller-lessee applies paragraphs 29 to 35 of IFRS 16 to the right-of-use asset arising from the leaseback and paragraphs 36 to 46 of IFRS 16 to the lease liability arising from the leaseback. In applying paragraphs 36 to 46, the seller-lessee determines ‘lease payments’ or ‘revised lease payments’ in such a way that the seller-lessee would not recognise any amount of the gain or loss that relates to the right of use retained by the seller-lessee. Applying these requirements does not prevent the seller-lessee from recognising, in profit or loss, any gain or loss relating to the partial or full termination of a lease, as required by paragraph 46(a) of IFRS 16.

The Statement of Cash Flows

16/09/202111/09/2019 by 75385885

Statement of Cash Flows

IAS 7.10 requires an entity to analyse its cash inflows and outflows into three categories:

Operating;
Investing; and
Financing.

IAS 7.6 defines these as follows:

‘Operating activities are the principal revenue producing activities of the entity and other activities that are not investing or financing activities.’

‘Investing activities are the acquisition and disposal of long-term assets and other investments not included in cash equivalents.’

‘Financing activities are activities that result in changes in the size and composition of the contributed equity and borrowings of the entity.’

1. Operating activities

It is often assumed that this category includes only those cash flows that arise from an entity’s principal revenue producing activities.

However, because cash flows arising from operating activities represents a residual category, which includes any cash flows that do not qualify to be recorded within either investing or financing activities, these can include cash flows that may initially not appear to be ‘operating’ in nature.

For example, the acquisition of land would typically be viewed as an investing activity, as land is a long-term asset. However, this classification is dependent on the nature of the entity’s operations and business practices. For example, an entity that acquires land regularly to develop residential housing to be sold would classify land acquisitions as an operating activity, as such cash flows relate to its principal revenue producing activities and therefore meet the definition of an operating cash flow.

2. Investing activities

An entity’s investing activities typically include the purchase and disposal of its intangible assets, property, plant and equipment, and interests in other entities that are not held for trading purposes. However, in an entity’s consolidated financial statements, cash flows from investing activities do not include those arising from changes in ownership interest of subsidiaries that do not result in a change in control, which are classified as arising from financing activities.

It should be noted that cash flows related to the sale of leased assets (when the entity is the lessor) may be classified as operating or investing activities depending on the specific facts and circumstances.

Capitalisation of expenditure – 1 Complete answer

15/09/2021 by 75385885

Capitalisation of expenditure

Capitalisation of expenditure is only possible when one of the following situations occur:

Capital expenditure (including equipment repairs and maintenance)
Recording lease contracts – Right-of-Use Assets
Capitalisation of borrowing costs
Capitalisation of cloud computing costs
Capitalisation of intangible assets
Capitalisation of internally capitalized intangible assets
Research & development costs
Prepaid expenses

Capital expenditure (including equipment repairs and maintenance)

The cost of an item of property, plant and equipment under IAS 16 Property, plant and equipment shall be recognised as an asset if, and only if:

it is probable that future economic benefits associated with the item will flow to the entity; and
the cost of the item can be measured reliably. (IAS 16.7)

Investment property

Certain properties which are used on rental are classified as an investment property in which case IAS 40 Investment property will apply. Only tangible items which have a useful life of more than one period are classified as property, plant and equipment as per IAS 16. But refer to the words “more than one period” as more than one accounting period of 12 months.

Also, an entity shall determine a threshold limit commensurate to its size for recognizing a tangible item as property, plant and equipment. For example, a tangible item of insignificant amount although satisfying the definition of property, plant and equipment may be expensed.

Initial recognition of indirect costs

Items of property, plant and equipment may be acquired for safety or environmental reasons. The acquisition of such property plant and equipment, although not directly increasing the future economic benefits of any particular existing item of property, plant and equipment, may be necessary for an entity to obtain the future economic benefits from its other assets.

Such items of property plant and equipment qualify for recognition as assets because they enable an entity to derive future economic benefits from related assets in excess of what could be derived had those items not been acquired.

Subsequent recognition of indirect costs

Impairment testing cash generating unit with IFRS 16 leases

09/09/202104/09/2019 by 75385885

Impairment testing cash generating unit with leases (or impairment of leased assets) is about a right-of-use asset (leased asset) and such an asset will frequently be included in a cash generating unit to be tested for impairment. At initial recognition, the right-of-use-asset equals the recognised lease liability, plus any lease payments made at or before the commencement date, less any lease incentives received, plus any initial direct costs incurred by the lessee and an estimate of costs to be incurred by the lessee in dismantling and removing the underlying asset and restoring the site on which the leased asset is located.

The most significant part of the right-of-use asset will often be the lease liability, which is the present value of the lease payments discounted at the interest rate implicit in the lease if this rate is readily determinable, or otherwise at the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate.

Therefore, the discount rate applied to determine the lease liability can have a significant effect on the carrying amount of the right-of-use asset at initial recognition. If the value in use is determined in an impairment test mechanically, ignoring the lease liability and related lease payments from both the carrying amount and the value in use of the cash generating unit, the following effects will occur when compared with the value in use with operating leases under IAS 17:

The carrying amount of the cash generating unit will increase by the net present value of the future lease payments discounted at the IFRS 16 rate.
The value in use of the cash generating unit will increase by the net present value of the future lease payments discounted at the discount rate used under IAS 36.

These two effects will usually have an offsetting effect. As a result, generally, there will be a limited effect on the impairment test, i.e., the amount of headroom or impairment calculated will not be substantially different.

However, if the IAS 36 discount rate (for example, a discount rate based on the weighted average cost of capital (WACC)) exceeds the IFRS 16 discount rate (for example, the lessees’ incremental borrowing rate), this will have a net negative impact on the results of the impairment test as the carrying amount of the cash generating unit will increase more than the value in use of the cash generating unit.

Disclosure non-financial assets and liabilities example

05/07/2021 by 75385885

Disclosure non-financial assets and liabilities example

The guidance for this disclosure example is provided here.

8 Non-financial assets and liabilities

This note provides information about the group’s non-financial assets and liabilities, including:

specific information about each type of non-financial asset and non-financial liability
- property, plant and equipment (note 8(a))
- leases (note 8(b))
- investment properties (note 8(c))
- intangible assets (note 8(d))
- deferred tax balances (note 8(e))
- inventories (note 8(f))
- other assets, including assets classified as held for sale (note 8(g))
- employee benefit obligations (note 8(h))
- provisions (note 8(i))
accounting policies
information about determining the fair value of the assets and liabilities, including judgements and estimation uncertainty involved (note 8(j)).

8(a) Property, plant and equipment

Amounts in CU’000	Freehold land	Buildings	Furniture, fittings and equipment	Machinery and vehicles	Assets under construction	Total
At 1 January 2019
Cost or fair value	11,350	28,050	27,510	70,860	–	137,770
Accumulated depreciation	–	–	-7,600	-37,025	–	-44,625
Net carrying amount	11,350	28,050	19,910	33,835	–	93,145

Movements in 2019
Exchange differences	–	–	-43	-150	–	-193
Revaluation surplus	2,700	3,140	–	–	–	5,840
Additions	2,874	1,490	2,940	4,198	3,100	14,602
Assets classified as held for sale and other disposals	-424	–	-525	-2,215	–	3,164
Depreciation charge	–	-1,540	-2,030	-4,580	–	8,150
Closing net carrying amount	16,500	31,140	20,252	31,088	3,100	102,080

At 31 December 2019
Cost or fair value	16,500	31,140	29,882	72,693	3,100	153,315
Accumulated depreciation	–	–	-9,630	-41,605	–	-51,235
Net carrying amount	16,500	31,140	20,252	31,088	3,100	102,080

Movements in 2020
Exchange differences	–	–	-230	-570	–	-800
Revaluation surplus	3,320	3,923	–	–	–	7,243
Acquisition of subsidiary	800	3,400	1,890	5,720	–	11,810
Additions	2,500	2,682	5,313	11,972	3,450	25,917
Assets classified as held for sale and other disposals	-550	–	-5,985	-1,680	–	-8,215
Transfers	–	–	950	2,150	-3,100	–
Depreciation charge	–	-1,750	-2,340	-4,380	–	-8,470
Impairment loss (ii)	–	-465	-30	-180	–	-675
Closing net carrying amount	22,570	38,930	19,820	44,120	3,450	128,890

At 31 December 2020
Cost or fair value	22,570	38,930	31,790	90,285	3,450	187,025
Accumulated depreciation	–	–	-11,970	-46,165	–	-58,135
Net carrying amount	22,570	38,930	19,820	44,120	3,450	128,890

(i) Non-current assets pledged as security

Refer to note 24 for information on non-current assets pledged as security by the group.

(ii) Impairment loss and compensation

The impairment loss relates to assets that were damaged by a fire – refer to note 4(b) for details. The whole amount was recognised as administrative expense in profit or loss, as there was no amount included in the asset revaluation surplus relating to the relevant assets. [IAS 36.130(a)]

Onerous

29/06/2021 by 75385885

This is an overview of the use of onerous in the IFRS Standards, the major Standard being IAS 37 (see below).

IAS 37: ‘Onerous Contracts – Cost of Fulfilling a Contract’

IAS 37 defines an onerous contract as one in which the unavoidable costs of meeting the entity’s obligations exceed the economic benefits to be received under that contract. If an entity has a contract that is onerous the present obligation under the contract should be recognized and measured as a provision. An onerous contract is one in which the unavoidable costs of meeting the obligations under the contract exceed the economic benefits expected to be received under it.

The amendment to IAS 37, that will become effective 1 January 2022, clarifies the meaning of ‘costs to fulfil a contract’. Contract costs Contract costs The amendment was part of some narrow-scope amendments issued by IASB in May 2020.

The amendment explains that the direct cost of fulfilling a contract comprises:

the incremental costs of fulfilling that contract (for example, direct labour and materials); and
an allocation of other costs that relate directly to fulfilling contracts (for example, an allocation of the depreciation charge for an item of PP&E used to fulfil the contract). (IAS 37.68A)

The amendment also clarifies that, before a separate provision for an onerous contract is established, an entity recognises any impairment loss that has occurred on assets used in fulfilling the contract, rather than on assets dedicated to that contract.

The amendment could result in the recognition of more onerous contract provisions, because previously some entities only included incremental costs in the costs to fulfil a contract.

Determining a leases discount rate

09/06/202107/02/2021 by 75385885

Determining a leases discount rate

The definition of the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate states that the rate should represent what the lessee ‘would have to pay to borrow over a similar term and with similar security, the funds necessary to obtain an asset of similar value to the right-of-use asset in a similar economic environment.’ In applying the concept of ‘similar security’, a lessee uses the right-of-use asset granted by the lease and not the fair value of the underlying asset.

This is because the rate should represent the amount that would be charged to acquire an asset of similar value for a similar period. For example, in determining the incremental borrowing rate on a 5 year lease of a property, the security for the portion of the asset being leased (i.e. the 5 year portion of its useful life) would be likely to vary significantly from the outright ownership of the property, as outright ownership would confer rights over a period of time that would typically be significantly greater than the 5-year right-of-use asset contained in the lease.

In practice, judgement may be needed to estimate an incremental borrowing rate in the context of a right-of-use asset, especially when the value of the underlying asset differs significantly from the value of the right-of-use asset.

An entity’s weighted-average cost of capital (‘WACC’) is not appropriate to use as a proxy for the incremental borrowing rate because it is not representative of the rate an entity would pay on borrowings. WACC incorporates the cost of equity-based capital, which is unsecured and ranks behind other creditors and will therefore be a higher rate than that paid on borrowings.

Lessee accounting under IFRS 16

26/05/202126/05/2021 by 75385885

Lessee accounting under IFRS 16

The key objective of IFRS 16 is to ensure that lessees recognise assets and liabilities for their major leases.

1. Lessee accounting model

A lessee applies a single lease accounting model under which it recognises all leases on-balance sheet, unless it elects to apply the recognition exemptions (see recognition exemptions for lessees in the link). A lessee recognises a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset and a lease liability representing its obligation to make payments. [IFRS 16.22]

[IFRS 16.47, IFRS 16.49]

IFRS 16 Balance sheet Profit or loss

Sub-leases under IFRS 16

26/05/2021 by 75385885

Sub-leases under IFRS 16

The classification guidance in IFRS 16 means that many sub-leases are finance leases, impacting the financial position and financial performance of intermediate lessors.

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.

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, applying both the lessee and lessor accounting requirements. [IFRS 16.3]

Sub-leases under IFRS 16

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]

IAS 16 Generation assets for Power and Utilities

24/03/2021 by 75385885

Generation assets for Power and Utilities

– are often large and complex installations. They are expensive to construct, tend to be exposed to harsh operating conditions and require periodic replacement or repair. This environment leads to specific accounting issues.

1 Fixed assets and components

IFRS has a specific requirement for ‘component’ depreciation, as described in IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment. Each significant part of an item of property, plant and equipment is depreciated separately. Significant parts of an asset that have similar useful lives and patterns of consumption can be grouped together. This requirement can create complications for utility entities, because many assets include components with a shorter useful life than the asset as a whole.

Identifying components of an asset

Generation assets might comprise a significant number of components, many of which will have differing useful lives. The significant components of these types of assets must be separately identified. This can be a complex process, particularly on transition to IFRS, because the detailed record-keeping needed for componentisation might not have been required in order to comply with national generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). This can particularly be an issue for older power plants. However, some regulators require detailed asset records, which can be useful for IFRS component identification purposes.

An entity might look to its operating data if the necessary information for components is not readily identified by the accounting records. Some components can be identified by considering the routine shutdown or overhaul schedules for power stations and the associated replacement and maintenance routines. Consideration should also be given to those components that are prone to technological obsolescence, corrosion or wear and tear that is more severe than that of the other portions of the larger asset.

First-time IFRS adopters can benefit from an exemption under IFRS 1 First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards. This exemption allows entities to use a value that is not depreciated cost in accordance with IAS 16, and IAS 23 Borrowing Costs as deemed cost on transition to IFRS. It is not necessary to apply the exemption to all assets or to a group of assets.