Accounting News

A Dec. 3 proposal from FASB’s Accounting Standards Update (ASU) might provide some flexibility for private businesses and select nonprofits. “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326)” looks at measuring credit losses for contract assets and accounts receivable for these entities. When it comes to determining projected credit losses for current accounts receivables and current contract assets, businesses face immense resource needs and reporting requirements, including for assets acquired prior to the publication dates of financial statements. With public comments being received through Jan. 17, 2025, industry professionals have reported that when it comes to gauging projected credit losses for current contract assets and currentRead More →

Also known as greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting, carbon accounting is a way for managers and analysts to measure a company’s total carbon emissions.  It’s a comprehensive approach to analyze how a company uses energy for its buildings, offices, conveyances and production processes. Carbon accounting examines firsthand, secondhand and tertiary energy uses. Environmental, Social & Governance Looking at ESG standards (Environmental, Social & Governance), it’s not only becoming encouraged, it’s becoming required for businesses, especially for publicly traded businesses. Whether it’s the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or other governmental agencies in the global economy, these administrative organizations are mandating emission declarations for businesses toRead More →

Looking at accounting and journal entry considerations, if accounts receivables are debited and revenue is credited, it can be interpreted as the business recognizing revenue without the customer paying. As such, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sees the potential for intentional manipulation of earnings. It is important to review this type of transaction to see how the U.S. government and accounting standards treat deviations from these activities. Defining Bill-and-Hold Arrangements This type of agreement permits sellers to recognize revenue before delivery is made. Instead of shipping the product first, the seller bills the customer first, and delivery is arranged for a future date.Read More →

With more than 14 million electric vehicle (EV) registrations in 2023 worldwide and 2023 seeing an increase in EV sales over 2022 by 35 percent, manufacturers are probably happy – but not those producing the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. This is according to the International Energy Agency’s Global EV Outlook 2024: Trends in Electric Cars. This statistic is important because it illustrates how assets can be rendered less useful and potentially turn into stranded assets. A stranded asset, defined, is an asset that’s no longer able to provide its owner the profitable payback they originally expected. The difference is based on shifts, primarilyRead More →

According to EY, the convertible debt market saw whipsaw action in issuances. Between 2015 and 2019, average issuance varied between $40 billion and $45 billion. However, it dropped to $22 billion in 2022, but re-accelerated to $52 billion in 2023. While the levels of issuance varied, the way this type of debt is accounted for has remained much calmer. Defining a Convertible Bond A convertible bond is a type of debt security that gives the investor the right to exchange the bond, at certain milestones, for a pre-determined percentage of equity in the issuing company. This investment vehicle has both equity and debt features. SinceRead More →

Comprehensive income (CI), which is defined as the sum of net income (NI) and other comprehensive income (OCI), gives both the internal and external audiences a 30,000-foot perspective of a company’s valuation. Understanding how it’s broken down, how it’s accounted for, and how it’s interpreted by different audiences is essential to making favorable impressions. In the banking industry, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found 2,705 material restatements occurred between the beginning of January 1997 and the first half of 2006. Businesses that fail to report financial information accurately the first time are not uncommon – but this can have harmful effects on their bottom line.Read More →

When a business is looking for a valuation, it needs to decide whether to use the calculation of value approach versus the conclusion of value option. The conclusion of value calculation is a more rigorous and resource-intensive calculation of value. Both approaches are similarly dependable, and despite the calculation of value’s less in-depth approach, business owners can still benefit from this knowledge for their short- and long-term projection needs. However, there are some distinctions between the two approaches.  Calculation of Value This method can be conducted annually or once every 24 months. It’s often applied for internal needs, such as the owner looking to retire,Read More →

Whether it’s a company firing on all cylinders or a company on the verge of liquidation, determining correct valuations is not a cut-and-dry process. Understanding the importance of going-concern values and liquidation values is essential when determining a business’ worth. Quantifying Going-Concern Value When it comes to defining this type of value, it factors in the likelihood of a business operating indefinitely with continued profitability. With a company’s demonstrated ability to maintain profitability comes inherent value, reducing the likelihood of a business going bankrupt.  In contrast to a business’ liquidation value basis, which might only be $20 million due to unsold goods, real property andRead More →

The accounting term working capital is essential knowledge for all business owners. Basically, it is the ability of a business to meet its ongoing obligations. Learning about some of the different aspects of working capital is vital for any successful business owner. Net operating working capital (NOWC) is the gap between a business’ current assets (accounts receivable, inventories, cash, though excluding marketable securities) and its non-interest-bearing liabilities (which are financial obligations a business must meet, except those not subject to interest payments). This calculation looks at a business’ cash flow availability and determines available current assets able to be liquidated inside a calendar year. TheRead More →

A trial balance is an accounting tool that helps businesses determine if the double entry accounting system has any mathematical errors. Once the trial balance is worked through, and the total debits and total credits equal each other, we know there are no mathematical errors – but that doesn’t mean it is error free. It is important to determine how it is constructed and the considerations for each step in the process. Raw Trial Balance The first is the unadjusted trial balance. This looks at all the double entry bookkeeping journal entries, which records the business’ day-to-day transactions. When beginning to prepare for the adjustedRead More →