Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 2: QIFSAC (page 72)

Question: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. provided the following disclosure in a recent annual report.

New accounting pronouncement (partial) . . . the Securities and Exchange Commission issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101—“Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements” (SAB 101). This SAB deals with various revenue recognition issues, several of which are common within the retail industry. As a result of the issuance of this SAB . . . the Company is currently evaluating the effects of the SAB on its method of recognizing revenues related to layaway sales and will make any accounting method changes necessary during the first quarter of [next year].

In response to SAB 101, Wal-Mart changed its revenue recognition policy for layaway transactions, in which Wal-Mart sets aside merchandise for customers who make partial payment. Before the change, Wal-Mart recognized all revenue on the sale at the time of the layaway. After the change, Wal-Mart does not recognize revenue until customers satisfy all payment obligations and take possession of the merchandise.

Instructions

(a) Discuss the expected effect on income (1) in the year that Wal-Mart makes the changes in its revenue recognition policy, and (2) in the years following the change.

(b) Evaluate the extent to which Wal-Mart’s previous revenue policy was consistent with the revenue recognition principle.

(c) If all retailers had used a revenue recognition policy similar to Wal-Mart’s before the change, are there any concerns with respect to the qualitative characteristic of comparability? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer

  1. Change in recognition principle will only change the time of revenue recognition; it will not change the overall amount.
  2. Revenue policy of Walmart was inconsistent with the realization criteria.
  3. It isn’t easy to compare layaway transactions even if the revenue recognition principle is the same.

Step by step solution

01

Definition of Net Income

The net benefit earned by the business entity after deducting all expenses, including interest and tax expenses, is known as net income.

02

Effect on the income

  1. The revenue recognition principle will be reversed by Walmart in the year of change for all the incomplete sales of the Layaway in prior periods. This procedure will reduce the income of Walmart in the year of change.
  2. In the succeeding years, after making the adjustments in the year of change, the income level will come to the prior level as long as the level of layaway sales remains the same. It concludes that the change in accounting method only changes the time of revenue recognition but does not change the overall amount.
03

Consistency in the revenue policy

Walmart recognizes the revenue before the delivery of the product. It means that revenue is recognized before the completion of earning process. In such a case, if the customer does not pay the outstanding amount, the realization criteria are not met.

04

Qualitative characteristics of comparability

Even if each retailer uses the same revenue recognition criteria, it won’t be easy to compare the layaway transactions.

For example: If different retailers use different policies to determine the number of customers to be put down to set aside the merchandise.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Match the qualitative characteristics below with the following statements.1. Timeliness 5. Faithful representation2. Completeness 6. Relevance3. Free from error 7. Neutrality4. Understandability 8. Confirmatory value

  1. Quality of information that assures users that information represents the economic phenomena that it purports to represent.
  2. Information about an economic phenomenon that corrects past or present expectations based on previous evaluations.
  3. The extent to which information is accurate in representing the economic substance of a transaction.
  4. Includes all the information that is necessary for a faithful representation of the economic phenomena that it purports to represent.
  5. Quality of information that allows users to comprehend its meaning.

Three expense recognition methods (associating cause and effect, systematic and rational allocation, and immediate recognition) were discussed in the text under the expense recognition principle. Indicate the basic nature of each of these expense recognition methods and give two examples of each.

Expenses, losses, and distributions to owners are all decreases in net assets. What are the distinctions among them?

E2-3 (L03,7) GROUPWORK (Qualitative Characteristics) SFAC No. 8 identifies the qualitative characteristics that make accounting information useful. Presented below are a number of questions related to these qualitative characteristics and underlying constraint.

(a) What is the quality of information that enables users to confirm or correct prior expectations?

(b) Identify the pervasive constraint developed in the conceptual framework.

(c) The chairman of the SEC at one time noted, “If it becomes accepted or expected that accounting principles are determined or modified in order to secure purposes other than economic measurement, we assume a grave risk that confidence in the credibility of our financial information system will be undermined.” Which qualitative characteristic of accounting information should ensure that such a situation will not occur? (Do not use faithful representation.)

(d) Muruyama Corp. switches from FIFO to average-cost to FIFO over a 2-year period. Which qualitative characteristic of accounting information is not followed?

(e) Assume that the profession permits the savings and loan industry to defer losses on investments it sells because immediate recognition of the loss may have adverse economic consequences on the industry. Which qualitative characteristic of accounting information is not followed? (Do not use relevance or faithful representation.)

(f) What are the two fundamental qualities that make accounting information useful for decision-making?

(g) Watteau Inc. does not issue its first-quarter report until after the second quarter’s results are reported. Which qualitative characteristic of accounting is not followed? (Do not use relevance.)

(h) Predictive value is an ingredient of which of the two fundamental qualities that make accounting information useful for decision-making purposes?

(i) Duggan, Inc. is the only company in its industry to depreciate its plant assets on a straight-line basis. Which qualitative characteristic of accounting information may not be followed?

(j) Roddick Company has attempted to determine the replacement cost of its inventory. Three different appraisers arrive at substantially different amounts for this value. The president, nevertheless, decides to report the middle value for external reporting purposes. Which qualitative characteristic of information is lacking in these data? (Do not use relevance or faithful representation.)

(Elements of Financial Statements) Ten interrelated elements that are most directly related to measuring the performance and financial status of an enterprise are provided below.

Assets Distributions to owners Expenses Liabilities Comprehensive Income Gains Equity Revenues Losses Investments by owners

Instructions

Identify the element or elements associated with the 12 items below.(a) Arises from peripheral or incidental transactions.

(b) Obligation to transfer resources arising from a past transaction.

(c) Increases ownership interest.

(d) Declares and pays cash dividends to owners.

(e) Increases in net assets in a period from nonowner sources.

(f) Items characterized by service potential or future economic benefit.

(g) Equals increase in assets less liabilities during the year, after adding distributions to owners and subtracting investments by owners.

(h) Arises from income statement activities that constitute the entity’s ongoing major or central operations.

(i) Residual interest in the assets of the enterprise after deducting its liabilities.

(j) Increases assets during a period through sale of product.

(k) Decreases assets during the period by purchasing the company’s own stock.(l) Includes all changes in equity during the period, except those resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Business Studies Textbooks

Business Operations

Read Explanation

Intermediate Accounting

Read Explanation

Strategic Direction

Read Explanation

Managers

Read Explanation

Introduction to Business

Read Explanation

Financial Performance

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free