Information provided in financial statements is used to value the entity’s equity capital. It is also used to evaluate the performance of the management in its stewardship function. ‘Decision usefulness’ is the overriding principle in the preparation and presentation of financial statements. The principle of decision usefulness is applied in formulating accounting standards, subject to the principle of prudence and the overall constraints of ‘costs and benefits’ and timeliness. An entity formulates accounting policy consistent with the principles and methods stipulated in accounting standards.
Some time accounting standards provides acceptable alternative accounting principles and methods to provide flexibility to entities in accounting choice. Flexibility is desirable because entities operate in different business environments. An entity while selecting among the alternatives accounting methods apply the ‘decision usefulness’ criteria and consider the constraints of ‘costs and benefits’ and ‘timeliness’.
Fixed asset comprises property, plant and equipment (PPE) and intangible assets. IFRS does not allow recognition of internally generated intangible assets, except software. Fixed assets are initially recorded at cost. IFRS provides an accounting choice for subsequent measurement of fixed assets. An entity may use either the cost model or the revaluation model to value items of fixed assets for the purpose of presentation in the balance sheet. When cost model is used, items of fixed assets are valued at the acquisition cost adjusted for accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment loss.
When the revaluation model is used, items of fixed assets are valued at the fair value at the balance sheet date. However, it is not necessary to determine the fair value at each balance sheet date. The requirement is that the amount at which the asset is valued for balance sheet presentation should not differ materially from the fair value at the balance sheet date. In case of items of PP&E, the choice for the revaluation model is available only if the fair value of the asset can be estimated reliably.
In case of items of intangible asset, there is an additional restriction.
The choice of revaluation model is available only if there is an active market for the asset. It is uncommon that the active markets are available for intangible assets. Therefore, practically, the choice of revaluation model is not available for intangible assets.
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An entity may choose the cost model for some classes of PP&E while the revaluation model for others. However, it cannot use different models for different items in the same class of asset.
Formulation of accounting policy
The cost of using of the cost model is immaterial. Cost is involved only in measuring the impairment loss. But, in absence of an indication that a group of assets is impaired, no impairment test is carried out. Use of revaluation model might have significant cost. Sometimes it is quite costly to estimate the fair value when no active market is available for used items of PP&E. It is more so, if the assets are of specialised nature and are not ordinarily sold in the market.
Therefore, the choice of the revaluation model can only be justified if measurement of items of PPE at fair value enhances the relevance of information presented in financial statements.
Usually analysts value entities as a going concern. A going concern is valued based on forecast of free cash flows that it will generate in future. Free cash flow is the operating cash flow reduced by incremental investment in fixed assets and working capital. The valuation does not depend on the value at which assets and liabilities are presented in the balance sheet. For example, absence of internally generated intangible assets (e.g. knowledge, product brand, corporate reputation, in-process research and customer relation) in the balance sheet has not posed any additional difficulty in valuation of entities that create value by managing intangibles.
Therefore, it may not be appropriate to conclude that the use of fair value for the measurement of PP&E will enhance the relevance of information provided in financial statements.
Conclusion
Almost all companies across the globe choose the cost model for the measurement of items of PP&E. IFRS provides a choice, but that is almost redundant. However, adoption of IFRS by Indian companies will take away the choice of revaluation from entities which will use the cost model.