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15/03/2014, 20:20
... Considerationoftheneedforanemphasisof
matterparagraphintheauditorsreportwillbe
adifcultmatterofjudgmenttobemadeinthe
contextoftheentityscircumstances;themere
existenceofthecreditcrisis,thoughreferred
tointhenancialstatements,doesnotofitself
createtheneedforanemphasis.
ThisalertisissuedbystaffoftheInternational
AuditingandAssuranceStandardsBoard(IAASB)
toraiseauditorsawarenessaboutmattersrelevant
totheconsiderationoftheuseofthegoingconcern
assumptioninthepreparationofthenancial
statementsinthecurrentenvironment.Inparticular,
management,thosechargedwithgovernanceand
auditorsalikewillbefacedwiththechallengeof
evaluatingtheeffectofthecreditcrisisandeconomic
downturnonanentitysabilitytocontinueasagoing
concernandwhethertheseeffectsontheentityought
tobedescribed,orotherwisereected,inthenancial
statements.
WhiletheStaffAuditPracticeAlert,Challenges
inAuditingFairValueAccountingEstimatesin
theCurrentMarketEnvironment[October2008],
referstogoingconcerninthecontextoftheeffects
ofvaluationinilliquidmarkets,thisalertaddresses
widerissuesthatarelikelytoberelevanttoauditors
ofentitiesinallindustriesandofallsizes.While
thisalertrefersprincipallytoISA570,otherISAs
containrequirementsandguidancetoassisttheauditor
indealingwithotherissuesthatmayalsorequire
particularattentioninthecurrentenvironment,such
asinventoryvaluationandallowancesfordoubtful
receivables.
Thisalertdoesnottakeaccountofmattersspecic
toindustriesorjurisdictions,bothofwhichwillbe
relevanttotheissuesdiscussedbelow.Government
responsestothecriseshavebeensubstantial,but
varied.Thusinsomejurisdictionscertainaspects
ofcreditavailabilitymayhavebeenresolvedwhile
otherscontinuetocausedifculties;andtheparticular
matterstackledbygovernmentsmaydifferasbetween
jurisdictions.Similarly,governmentshavebeen
consideringassistancetocertainindustries,thenature
ofwhichmayhaveamaterialeffectonthematters
discussedinthisalert.Further,theeffectofthecredit
crisisandeconomicdownturnvariesbothastoits
severityandtimingdependingontheindustryandthe
jurisdiction.
AUDIT CONSIDERATIONS in RESPECT of GOING CONCERN
in the CURRENT ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
This ... needadetailed
analysistosupportthegoingconcernassumptions.
However,theeffectofthecreditcrisisandeconomic
downturnislikelytobethatsuchanapproach
willnolongerbeappropriateformanyentities.In
particular,theimplicitassumptionsbehindsuch
anapproachmaynolongerbevalidinthecurrent
environment. Issuessurroundingliquidityandcredit
riskmaycreatenewuncertainties,ormayexacerbate
thosealreadyexisting.Evenmanywell-respected
entitieswithalong-standinghistoryofprotsand
availabilityofcreditmaynditdifculttoobtain
orrenewnancing,eitheratalloroncomparable
terms.Further,entitiesthathavetypicallyrelied
onextensionsofdebtpaymentsorwaiversofdebt
covenantsatyear-endmayndthatthesereliefsare
nolongeravailablefromtheirlenders.Inaddition,
theeconomiccrisismayunderminetheprevious
assumptionsaboutprotability.
Consequently,entitiesthathavenotpreviouslyfound
theneedtoprepareadetailedanalysisinsupport
ofthegoingconcernassumptionmayneedtogive
thematterfurtherconsideration.Inmanycases,
themanagementofsmallerentitiesmaynothave
historicallypreparedadetailedassessmentofthe
entitysabilitytocontinueasagoingconcern,but
insteadmayhavereliedonin-depthknowledgeof
thebusinessandanticipatedfutureprospects.Matters
suchasowner-managersupportmaybecomeeven
morepertinentinthecurrenteconomicenvironment.
Auditorswillbenetfromearlydiscussionwith
entitiesaboutthenatureoftheassessmentthatmay
beappropriateinthecircumstancesoftheentity,how
theentitymightbestgoaboutdoingso,andwhat
maybeneededtosupplementwhathasbeendonein
prioryearswithmorerobustprocessesinlightofthe
currentmarketconditions.
assessment,itmaybemorelikelyinthecurrent
economicconditionsthatitwillbenecessaryto
updateitatyear-endgiventhespeedwithwhich
conditionsmaybechanging.Thefollowingfactors
arerelevant:
ã ... needadetailed
analysistosupportthegoingconcernassumptions.
However,theeffectofthecreditcrisisandeconomic
downturnislikelytobethatsuchanapproach
willnolongerbeappropriateformanyentities.In
particular,theimplicitassumptionsbehindsuch
anapproachmaynolongerbevalidinthecurrent
environment. Issuessurroundingliquidityandcredit
riskmaycreatenewuncertainties,ormayexacerbate
thosealreadyexisting.Evenmanywell-respected
entitieswithalong-standinghistoryofprotsand
availabilityofcreditmaynditdifculttoobtain
orrenewnancing,eitheratalloroncomparable
terms.Further,entitiesthathavetypicallyrelied
onextensionsofdebtpaymentsorwaiversofdebt
covenantsatyear-endmayndthatthesereliefsare
nolongeravailablefromtheirlenders.Inaddition,
theeconomiccrisismayunderminetheprevious
assumptionsaboutprotability.
Consequently,entitiesthathavenotpreviouslyfound
theneedtoprepareadetailedanalysisinsupport
ofthegoingconcernassumptionmayneedtogive
thematterfurtherconsideration.Inmanycases,
themanagementofsmallerentitiesmaynothave
historicallypreparedadetailedassessmentofthe
entitysabilitytocontinueasagoingconcern,but
insteadmayhavereliedonin-depthknowledgeof
thebusinessandanticipatedfutureprospects.Matters
suchasowner-managersupportmaybecomeeven
morepertinentinthecurrenteconomicenvironment.
Auditorswillbenetfromearlydiscussionwith
entitiesaboutthenatureoftheassessmentthatmay
beappropriateinthecircumstancesoftheentity,how
theentitymightbestgoaboutdoingso,andwhat
maybeneededtosupplementwhathasbeendonein
prioryearswithmorerobustprocessesinlightofthe
currentmarketconditions.
assessment,itmaybemorelikelyinthecurrent
economicconditionsthatitwillbenecessaryto
updateitatyear-endgiventhespeedwithwhich
conditionsmaybechanging.Thefollowingfactors
arerelevant:
ã...