Project Report: Impairment Test in Accounting for Corporations

This report provides a detailed analysis of impairment testing in corporate accounting, focusing on Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) guidelines. It begins by defining the purpose of impairment tests, emphasizing their role in ensuring the accuracy of an organization's financial position and the recoverability of assets. The report discusses when to undertake these tests, the impact of goodwill, and the steps involved in the impairment testing process, including the identification of cash-generating units (CGU) and the evaluation of fair value. It also addresses the reversal of impairment losses and their effects on financial performance. Furthermore, the report includes a practical evaluation of AASB 136 through an analysis of BlueScope Steel Limited's financial statements, examining the company's asset measurement basis, impairment tests, and disclosures in its annual report, highlighting the company's adherence to relevant accounting principles. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments to aid students in their studies.

Running Head: Accounting for corporations
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Project Report: Accounting for corporations

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Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................3
Part A................................................................................................................................3
Purpose of impairment test...........................................................................................3
When to undertake the test...........................................................................................3
Goodwill affects............................................................................................................4
Steps of impairment test...............................................................................................4
Reversal of impairment loss.........................................................................................5
Part b.................................................................................................................................6
Measurement basis for assets........................................................................................6
Company’s assets..........................................................................................................7
Impairment test.............................................................................................................8
Reversal of impairment loss.........................................................................................8
Affect of reversal of impairment test............................................................................9
Conclusion........................................................................................................................9
References.......................................................................................................................10

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Introduction:
The report has been prepared to understand the concept of impairment test in an
organization. For the report, impairment test has been evaluated on the basis of Australian
accounting standards board (AASB). Impairment test has been evaluated firstly on the basis
of AASB and further the concept of impartment test has been studied in an organization,
BlueScope steel limited.
Part A:
Purpose of impairment test:
Impairment test is a toll to measure the correctness and the total worth of statement of
financial position of an organization. The impairment test explains that the worth of balance
sheet should be enhanced and reduced according to the impairment test value only. If the
worth of the amount would be enhanced in the impairment test than the balance sheet worth
should also be enhanced.
The main purpose of impairment test, AASB 136 is to make sure that the resources or
the assets of an organization carry the recoverable amount. An improvement test explains
about that value which can never be recoverable in case of using and selling. The main
purpose of impairment testing is that the assets of an organization could not affect the value
of recoverable amount due to:
 The total asset amount which is stated in the final financial statement is the outcome
of estimates and the judgements prepared by the professionals.
 Asset’s depreciation explains about the asset’s cost only. It doesn’t take the concern
of asset’s recoverability (Finch, 2006).
When to undertake the test:
Impairments test explains that an organization does not carry more worth of final
position of an organization more than the recoverable amount. This test explains about the
permanent decrement in the total worth of the business. While evaluating the impairment test,
the cash flow, total profit and various other benefits of the company is compared with the
assets value of the company. This impairment test should be applied by the commercial
accounting firms and the tax firms to manage the performance of the company. The

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impairment test is mainly conducted by the companies to evaluate the actual worth of the
organization. The assessment must be undertaken by the professional people only. These
people should have enough knowledge about the impairment test as well as the performance
of the company (Carlin, 2008). They must evaluate the financial statement of the company
firstly and must collect all the relevant data of impairment test before. This would lead to a
better impairment test to the company and the analyst.
Goodwill affects:
Goodwill impairment is concerned to the changes into the goodwill position of an
organization in a financial year. An organization is always suggested to manage and run the
business and the impairment goodwill test to manage the worth of the business. Goodwill
amount differs to the situation to situation and the time to time. So, it becomes important for
an organization to impair the goodwill of an organization on continuous basis so that the
actual worth of goodwill could be recognized.
Goodwill of an organization directly impacts on the impairment test of the company
on the basis of the total allocated goodwill of the company. Normally, an organization only
allocates the goodwill t those cash generating units which are affected by the 2 different
business units. Goodwill amount also affects the acquisition amount of an organization. The
goodwill amount must be impaired by the company after evaluating all the related factors
(Carlin & Finch, 2011).
Goodwill amount affects the impairment test at huge level. It enhances the level of
recoverable amount of an organization. The more the goodwill amount of an organization
would be the more the recoverable amount of an organization would be. Goodwill amount
also explains that the goodwill amount’s lowest value is taken while calculating the
impairment test so that the better worth of the organization could be evaluated and it could
lead to the investors and the other stakeholders of an organization in the better way.
The ASSB explains that if the carrying amount of the goodwill of a unit is higher than
the recoverable amount of the units than the organization should consider it impairment loss.
This impairment loss is allocated in the goodwill amount of the organization to maintain the
position and the level of the company (Carlin, Finch & Ford, 2007). It explains that the
performance of the company and the actual worth of the company could be recognized on the
basis of goodwill amount of the organization.

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Steps of impairment test:
An impairment test always explains about the actual worth of an organization,
recoverable amount, identification of CGU and various other specific terms of the company.
The steps of impairment test are described properly in the IAS 136. The IAS 136 explains
that an organization must identify and evaluate the fair value, carried values, recoveries value
etc of the resources of the company so that it could be easily identified that the assets are
impaired or not. If total recoverable value of an organization is lesser than the assets carried
value than the impairment profit would take place vice versa.
For a better impairment test, company is required to arrange a test for identification
the fair value of an asset. This test compares all the carrying amount of undisclosed cash flow
items which could be occurred in the near future. If the carrying value of an organization is
higher than the computed value than the assets should not be considered recoverable.
Following are few steps to calculate the impairment test:
 Evaluate the asset’s recoverable amount
 Identify the future and present cash flows of an organization at the time of goodwill
acquisition.
 Evaluate the recoverable amount and the carried amount of the assets
 Take the suitable action (Wise, 2005).
It explains that how an organization should reach on better conclusion about the
impairment of the assets. It explains that the assets of an organization should be impaired
or not. And what is the crucial position of an organization.
Reversal of impairment loss:
Impairment loss is the total amount in which the recoverable amount of an
organization’s asset is lower than the carrying amount of the assets. AASB outlines this
situation as impairment loss. Reversal of impairment test explains the reverse of the
impairment loss in the normal scenario. IAS 36 explains that balance sheet of an
organization must be assessed and the identification about the decrement of the recoverable
amount should be evaluated (Finch, 2006).
If there is any hint about the decrement in the impairment loss than the amount should
be calculated. Though, there is no reversal of unwinding of discount. The enhanced carrying

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amount because of reversal must not be higher than the depreciated historical value. Further,
it has been evaluated the adjusted depreciation for future years are not the part of impairment
test. In addition, the reversal of impairment loss must be recognized in the statement of
financial performance unless the revaluated asset if related. An organization is not allowed to
reverse the loss which has been occurred due to goodwill amount.
the above points explain that an organization should be evaluated the impairment loss
perfectly and still few hints are fund in the balance sheet which examines that the impairment
loss of the organization could be lesser than the organization should consider all the ASSB
rules while decreasing the impairment loss. The affect of reversal must also be shown into
profit and loss a/c.
Part b:
Further, the ASSB 136’s practically approach has been evaluated through analyzing
the final financial statement of BlueScope steel limited. The impairment position of the
company has been evaluated on the basis of annual report of the company and it has been
found that company has disclosed all the relevant points and the amount in the annual report
of the company on the basis of AASB 136.
Measurement basis for assets:
The company’s annual report explains that the entire assets of the company are
measured on the basis of the carrying amount and the recoverable amount of the asset. The
assets of an organization are impaired annually to measure the difference among the carrying
value of the company and the recoverable amount. The company has measured all the current
and noncurrent assets of the company and it has been evaluated that various assets are
different in terms of carrying amount and the recoverable amount. The impairment test on the
assets of the company measures the worth of the recoverable amount of the company is
higher than the carrying value of the company and thus the company has enjoyed the better
performance in the market (Finch, 2006).
The annual report of the company explains that the property, plant and the equipment
amount of the company has been impaired in context with the Tahore iron sand mining assets
in the pacific steel segment. The impairment explains about the positive changes. Further, the
deferred tax assets of the company have also been impaired and explain that the recoverable
amount of the company is higher than the carrying value of the company. In the financial

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year, 2017, total impairment assets of the company were $ 101.2 million which has been
lowered from last year by 82%. It explains that the impairment has been lower.
Moreover, the trade receivable amount has also been impaired in current financial
year. It measures the better performance of the debtors in the current year. The company has
used all the relevant principles and the accounting standards to disclose and calculate the
impairment of each assets of the company (Guthrie & Pang, 2013). On the basis of this
evaluation, it has been recognized that the performance of the company has been better.
Company’s assets:
There are various current and noncurrent assets of the company. The total current and
noncurrent assets of the company have been presented below:
Current assets (Amt in $ Million)
Cash
Cash and cash equivalents 753
Total cash 753
Receivables 1332
Inventories 1659
Prepaid expenses
Other current assets 130
Total current assets 3873
Non-current assets
Property, plant and equipment
Gross property, plant and
equipment
12074
Accumulated Depreciation -8352
Net property, plant and equipment 3722
Equity and other investments 44
Goodwill 1157
Intangible assets 483
Deferred income taxes 155
Other long-term assets 141
Total non-current assets 5702
(Morningstar, 2018)
The above table explains that the total current assets of the comapny are $ 3873
million whereas the total noncurrent assets of the company are $ 5702 million. The
company’s asset also includes the goodwill amount which is $ 1157 million in 2017. It
explains about the performance and the total worth of the company. On the basis of annual

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report (2017) of the company, the total carrying amount of the company is $ 9575 million
which has been impaired in the 2017 and the entire process has been disclosed by the
company in its annual report.
The annual report (2017) of the company explains that the property, plant and the
equipment amount of the company has been impaired in context with the Tahore iron sand
mining assets in the pacific steel segment. Moreover, the trade receivable amount has also
been impaired in current financial year. It measures the better performance of the debtors in
the current year. The company has used all the relevant principles and the accounting
standards to disclose and calculate the impairment of each assets of the company.
Impairment test:
The annual report (2017) of the company explains that the property, plant and the
equipment amount of the company has been impaired in context with the Tahore iron sand
mining assets in the pacific steel segment. The impairment explains about the positive
changes. Further, the deferred tax assets of the company have also been impaired and explain
that the recoverable amount of the company is higher than the carrying value of the company.
In the financial year, 2017, total impairment assets of the company were $ 101.2 million
which has been lowered from last year by 82%. It explains that the impairment has been
lower.
Moreover, the trade receivable amount has also been impaired in current financial
year. It measures the better performance of the debtors in the current year. The company has
used all the relevant principles and the accounting standards to disclose and calculate the
impairment of each assets of the company. On the basis of this evaluation, it has been
recognized that the performance of the company has been better.
Reversal of impairment loss:
Impairment loss is the total amount in which the recoverable amount of an
organization’s asset is lower than the carrying amount of the assets. AASB outlines this
situation as impairment loss. Reversal of impairment test explains the reverse of the
impairment loss in the normal scenario. According to the annual report of the company, it has
been found that the company has impaired various assets. However, no amount of
impairment has been reversed by the company in the current year. It leads to the conclusion
that the impairment position of the company has lead to the business of the company to the

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growth and thus the company was not required to manage and reverse the impairment loss
amount in the final financial statement of the company. On the basis of this evaluation, it has
been recognized that the performance of the company has been better.
Affect of reversal of impairment test:
On the basis of the annual report (2017) of the company, it has been evaluated that
various assets have bee impaired and it has directly affected the income statement and the
balance sheet of the company. On the basis of the annual report of the company, it has been
measured that the financial performance and the position of the company is better and the
changes have directly impacted on the balance sheet of the company.
The annual report and the notes to accounts explains that the deferred tax assets,
property, plant and equipment and trade debtors amount of the company has been enhanced
and this has directly impacted on the actual worth of the company, Due to these impairment
assets, the performance of the company has been better.
Conclusion:
To conclude, impairment test is one of the crucial accounting standards of an
organization of Australia. Every organization is required to follow the concept and the rules
of the AASB 136 to manage the actual worth of an organization. It briefs that the impairment
test is a crucial test which recognized the tangible and intangible assets of the organization to
determine the whether the company’s worth is actual or not. The case study explains that the
test of impairment must also be undertaken by the professionals after evaluating all the
related factors.

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References:
Annual report. (2017). BlueScope steel limited. (online). Retrieved on 7th May from:
https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/bluescope-corporate-umbraco-media/media/
2262/fy2017-full-year-appendix-4e-directors-report-and-accounts.pdf.
Carlin, T. (2008). Advance Australia Fair: The quality of AASB 136 fair value disclosures
down under (Doctoral dissertation, Macquarie Graduate School of Management).
Carlin, T. M., & Finch, N. (2011). Goodwill impairment testing under IFRS: a false
impossible shore?. Pacific Accounting Review, 23(3), 368-392.
Carlin, T. M., Finch, N., & Ford, G. (2007). Goodwill impairment-an assessment of
disclosure quality and compliance levels by large listed Australian firms.
Finch, N. (2006). Intangible assets and creative impairment-an analysis of current disclosure
practices by top Australian firms.
Guthrie, J., & Pang, T. T. (2013). Disclosure of Goodwill Impairment under AASB 136 from
2005–2010. Australian Accounting Review, 23(3), 216-231.
Morningstar. (2018). BlueScope steel limited. (online). Retrieved on 7th May from:
http://financials.morningstar.com/balance-sheet/bs.html?
t=BSL&region=aus&culture=en-US.
Wiese, A. (2005). Accounting for goodwill: The transition from amortisation to impairment–
an impact assessment. Meditari Accountancy Research, 13(1), 105-120.