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.