Impaired Assets Definition
Impaired Assets are those assets on the company’s balance sheet whose carrying value of the assets on the books exceeds the market value (recoverable amount). When the carrying value of the impaired assets is adjusted, then the loss is to be recognized on the income statement of the company. Impairment of Assets is usually found in Balance Sheet items like goodwill, long term assets, inventory and accounts receivables.
Example of Impaired Assets
Company A ltd purchased company B ltd and paid $ 19 million as the purchase price for buying the company B ltd. At the time when the purchase was made, the book value of the assets of Company B was $ 15 million. Over the year after the acquisition, the sales of Company B ltd. fell by around 38 % because of some changes made by the management in the working of the company and due to the entrance of the competitor in the same line of business with the cheaper substitute. As a result, the fair market value of the company B ltd falls to the level of $ 12 million from the $ 15 million when the acquisition was done. Analyze the impact of the impairment of assets.
Solution
Company A ltd purchased company B ltd and paid $ 19 million as the purchase price for buying the company B ltd. When the book value of the assets of the Company B was $ 15 million The extra amount of $ 4 million ($19 – $15 million) paid by the Company A ltd above the book value of the assets of the Company B is to be recorded as the goodwill on the assets side of the Company A’s balance sheet. Over the year after the acquisition was done, the sales of Company B ltd. fell by around 38 % and as a result, the fair market value of the company B ltd falls to the level of $ 12 million from the $ 15 million.
As per the requirement of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles companies are required to test the goodwill and other certain intangible assets every year for the impairments. So, after a year Company A ltd. will compare the fair value of its subsidiary B ltd. with the carrying amount which is present on its balance sheet along with the goodwill. In case the fair value of B ltd. is less than its carrying value on the financial statement of the A ltd, then it is liable for the impairment.
In the present case, after a year fair market value of the company B ltd falls to the level of $ 12 million from the $ 15 million. Now, this fair market value of the B ltd along with the goodwill will be compared with the actual value recorded in the books of accounts and with the differential amount, goodwill will be reduced.
Current Fair market value + Goodwill = $ 12 million + $ 4million = $16 million
This $ 16 million will be compared with the initial purchase price paid ($19 million) and the difference will be impairment of the goodwill.
Impairment =$19 million – $16 million =$3 million
This amount will be reduced from the Goodwill amount present in the books of accounts
=Goodwill initially recorded – $3 million = $ 4 million – $ 3 million = $ 1 million
Thus the goodwill, in this case, is the impaired assets and on the balance sheet, the amount of new goodwill to be shown will be $ 1 million.
Advantages of Impaired Assets
- Impaired assets and Impairment gives the ways to the investors and analysts to assess the management of the company and their decision making the record as the managers who have to write down the assets due to impairment might not be having the good investment decision power.
- Many business failures occurred after a fall in the impaired value of the assets. These disclosures can act as the early warning signals for the creditors and investors of the company for their investment analysis.
Disadvantages/Limitations of Impaired Assets
- There is no detailed guidance on the treatment of impaired assets.
- Generally, it becomes difficult to know measurement value which should be used for ascertaining the impairment amount.
Important Points About Impaired Assets
- Impairment should be recorded only if it is anticipated that the future cash flows in the company are unrecoverable.
- Journal entry for recording the impairment is the debit to the loss account or to expense account with the corresponding credit to an underlying asset.
- When the carrying value of the impaired assets is adjusted, then the loss is to be recognized on the income statement of the company.
Conclusion
impaired assets are those assets market values of those are below the book value. All assets, either intangible or tangible, are prone to the impairment. It is required by the entities to conduct the impairment tests in case indications are there with respect to asset impairment with exception of the goodwill and other certain intangible assets in case of which impairment test is to be done annually as per the requirement of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Many business failures occurred after falling into the value of the impaired assets. These disclosures can act as the early warning signals for the creditors and investors of the company for their investment analysis. Thus the impaired assets also help the different stakeholders in different ways for their analysis before they make any decision with respect to the company.
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