Alternative Performance Measures (APMs)

In this Common Practices report we look at what APMs are; how companies are using them; and what they mean for the users of accounts when comparing them to others. This report examines the APMs that are stated within recent company and group accounts for a sample of 20 companies. Our selected sample covers year ends from 30 June 2017 to 31 March 2018. All companies report under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted in the EU. Throughout this report, we look at some of the recommendations put forward by the European Securities and Markets Agency (ESMA) in their guidelines setting out best practice on APMs in 2015, which became effective from 3 July 2016, as well as the observations made by the FRC, assessing whether and how companies have implemented them. 

New standard disclosure - IFRS 16 "Leases"

This report revisits the findings of the CR Emerging Issues Report "Disclosure of the impacts of IFRS 16 "Leases", and assesses 20 companies with 31 December 2017 year ends, to understand if some of the trends of the previous report are repeated. After the last report, we expected to see more companies early adopting, as well as more providing qualitative commentary on their expected materiality position post-implementation. We will assess whether this is the case. 16 of the 20 companies reviewed were in the original sample.

New standard disclosure - IFRS 15

IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers (IFRS 15) is one of two major new standards being applied from financial periods beginning on or after 1 January 2018 (the other being IFRS 9 Financial Instruments). In the years leading up to this, there has been an increased focus by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) on the disclosures setting out the impact of forthcoming accounting standards in the financial statements, as required by IAS 8 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors (IAS 8).

The FRC commented on these disclosures in its Annual Review of Corporate Reporting for the 2016-17 year-ends (annual review), and noted in its year-end advice letter to audit committee chairs and finance directors (FRC advice letter) (attached as an appendix to the report), that it expected to see a ‘step change’ in the quality of the disclosures assessing the impact of new accounting standards in the 2017-18 financial statements.

This report analyses the disclosures assessing the impact of IFRS 15 which have been included in the consolidated financial statements of 20 UK listed companies selected at random with a focus on industries where IFRS 15 has most impact.

Risk and viability in the strategic report

In light of recent high-profile collapses such as Carillion, the reporting by companies of risks and long-term viability is once again in the spotlight. Investors and other stakeholders expect detailed, specific information in the annual report which clearly sets out the key risks facing the company and the potential impact of these risks on the company’s longer-term viability. This report analyses the consolidated financial statements of 20 UK listed companies to assess the quality of risk and viability reporting in the annual report.

Fair value measurement information under IFRS

IFRS 13 “Fair value measurement” sets out a single consistent framework for measuring fair value within IFRS financial statements and outlines a standardised set of disclosures in respect of fair value measurements. IFRS 13 has been mandatory now for some years, with application being required for annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013. This report sets out the results of how requirements of the standard have been put into practice, both in terms of measurement and disclosure, in the consolidated financial statements of 139 large public limited companies with year ends between 31 March 2016 and 1 April 2017. It is not an exhaustive study of all aspects of IFRS 13 application and its conclusions are limited to our findings in respect of the areas analysed within the financial statements reviewed.

Segment disclosures and the chief operating decision maker under IFRS

This report sets out our findings in respect of a review of the IFRS segment disclosures of 25 UK listed companies, drawn from a range of different industries, as covered by IFRS 8 “Operating segments”. We consider a number of points including disclosures in respect of the chief operating decision maker, the factors used to identify reportable segments and whether there has been aggregation of operating segments and income statement and statement of financial position information reported by segment.