Die effek van die rekeningkundige hantering van klandisiewaarde op maatskappy-resultate
Abstract
English: The main purpose of the study was to quantify the expected effect of the new accounting statement, AC 131, on company results. AC 131 came into effect on 1 January 2000. It requires that goodwill should be recognized as an asset and that it should be amortized over its useful life. Before the effect of AC 131 on company results could be analyzed, the current treatment of goodwill by South African companies had to be established. It was found that 58% of the selected companies wrote goodwill off against equity. The transitional provisions of AC 131 do not require companies to apply the statement retrospectively if goodwill was previously written off against equity. The analyses of the 1998 annual financial statements of 100 companies yielded the following results: • If AC 131 had applied during 1998, the earnings per share and return on equity figures of companies would respectively have been 33% and 24% lower than the figures actually reported by the companies. • Goodwill of R 20 904 965 000 was written off against equity during 1998. This represents approximately 10% of total assets and 23% of equity. The amounts of goodwill written off against equity were therefore substantial. As a result, company results will be overstated for many years to come, since goodwill will never be amortized against future income. The majority of companies do not disclose the cumulative amounts of goodwill written off against equity in the past. The absence of this information makes it very difficult to evaluate the real performance and profits of a company. It also hampers comparisons between the financial results of companies. The recommendation of the study is that AC 131 should be amended to require the retrospective application thereof. Goodwill that was written off against equity before 1 January 2000 should be restated and treated as a change in accounting policy in accordance with AC 103. Alternatively, companies should be required to disclose all amounts pertaining to goodwill write-offs that were made against equity before 1 January 2000. Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie was om die verwagte uitwerking van die nuwe
rekeningkundige standpunt, RE 131, op maatskappy-resultate te kwantifiseer.
RE 131 het op 1 Januarie 2000 in werking getree en bepaal dat klandisiewaarde
as 'n bate erken en oor die verwagte nutsduur daarvan geamortiseer moet word.
Alvorens die invloed van RE 131 op maatskappy-resultate ontleed kon word,
moes daar eers vasgestel word hoe klandisiewaarde tans deur maatskappye
hanteer word. Daar is bevind dat 58% van die geselekteerde maatskappye
klandisiewaarde teen ekwiteit afskryf. Die oorgangsbepalings van RE 131 vereis
nie van maatskappye wat klandisiewaarde voor 1 Januarie 2000 teen ekwiteit
afgeskryf het, om die bepalings van die standpunt terugwerkend toe te pas nie.
Die volgende resultate is met die ontleding van 100 maatskappye se
1998-finansiële jaarstate verkry:
• lndien RE 131 gedurende 1998 van krag sou wees, sou die verdienste per
aandeel- en opbrengs op ekwiteit-syfers van maatskappye onderskeidelik
33% en 24% laer wees as die syfers wat deur die maatskappye gerapporteer
is.
• Klandisiewaarde van R20 904 965 000 is gedurende 1998 teen ekwiteit
afgeskryf. Dit verteenwoordig ongeveer 10% van totale bates en 23% van
ekwiteit.
Die bedrae van klandisiewaarde wat teen ekwiteit afgeskryf is, is dus wesenlik.
Gevolglik sal maatskappye se winste vir baie toekomstige jare oorgestateer
wees, aangesien klandisiewaarde nooit teen inkomste geamortiseer sal word nie.
Die meeste maatskappye openbaar nie die kumulatiewe syfers van
klandisiewaarde wat in die verlede teen ekwiteit afgeskryf is nie. Dit maak dit
baie moeilik om op die werklike prestasie van 'n maatskappy peil te trek. Die
vergelyking van maatskappye se finansiële resultate word ook in die wiele gery.
Die aanbeveling van hierdie studie is dat RE 131 gewysig word ten einde die
terugwerkende toepassing daarvan verpligtend te maak. Klandisiewaarde wat
voor 1 Januarie 2000 teen ekwiteit afgeskryf is, moet hersaamgestel en
ooreenkomstig die bepalings van RE 103 as 'n verandering in rekeningkundige
beleid hanteer word. Andersins moet maatskappye verplig word om
besonderhede aangaande klandisiewaarde wat voor 1 Januarie 2000 teen
ekwiteit afgeskryf is, te openbaar.