Financial Reporting

English Institute of Chartered Accountants issues guide to users in understanding audit opinions influenced by COVID 19

English Institute of Chartered Accountants issues guide to users in understanding audit opinions influenced by COVID 19

"...while COVID-19 will affect businesses in different ways and to different degrees, it is likely to have a significant impact on audit reports on company financial statements for the foreseeable future.

The FAQs below, created by the Audit and Assurance Faculty, are designed to help investors and other users of audit reports to better understand the different types of audit report wordings used by auditors, and their significance.

How might COVID-19 impact audit reports?

We expect to see more ‘modified’ audit opinions as a result of COVID-19. The possible types of audit opinions that auditors may give are explained below.

We also expect to see more ‘material uncertainties’ highlighted in audit reports in relation to going concern, and more ‘emphases of matter’. These do not, however, modify the audit opinion. These are also explained below.

For listed entities and other public interest entities, we are likely to see more ‘key audit matters’ (sometimes referred to as ‘KAM’) included by auditors... "

IASB Exposure Draft on COVID related Rent Concessions

The International Accounting Standards Board (Board) is seeking feedback on the Exposure Draft Covid-19-Related Rent Concessions. The Exposure Draft sets out a proposal to permit lessees, as a practical expedient, not to assess whether particular covid-19-related rent concessions are a lease modification and, instead, account for those rent concessions as if they were not lease modifications.

The deadline for submitting comments on the Exposure Draft is 8 May 2020. The Board will consider feedback on the Exposure Draft in developing its final requirements. The Board plans to issue final amendments by the end of May 2020.