A Quick Guide to Impact of COVID 19 on Financial Reporting Lockdown Edition

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been rightly described as an unprecedented human, economic and financial crisis facing the world. This pandemic has resulted in widespread economic uncertainty and disruption of businesses. COVID-19 has and will have far reaching implications on financial reporting. These circumstances would potentially present entities with several challenges when preparing their financial statements for year/quarter ended 31 March 2020.

This book, covers some of the key financial reporting implications that companies need to consider and also, possible approaches that may be considered while dealing with the same up-keeping in view of the business objectives, financial covenants and the accounting standards.

The key aspects impacted by COVID-19 for financial reporting are: asset impairment; inventory valuations and write downs; revenue recognition; debt covenants and debt servicing; foreign exchange accounting and losses/gains due to extreme volatility; litigation resulting from contractual defaults, invocation of force majeure clauses and potential exposure; insurance claims for losses during shutdown period or loss of lives; and going concern.

The companies shall ensure that they provide sufficient disclosures in the notes to the financial statements with information about the entity that's useful to existing and potential investors, creditors, lenders, and other stakeholders. This book highlights the existing financial reporting requirements under Companies (Indian Accounting Standards) Rules, 2015 and Companies (Accounting Standards) Rules, 2006 that should be considered when addressing the financial effects of COVID 19 while preparing annual financial statements and possible audit approaches that can be considered relevant.

The role of auditors at this stage would be under increased scrutiny as the auditors have a public interest obligation to complete the audit work in accordance with professional standards and ethics requirements. Under the current circumstances, auditors must recognise that the manner in which they conducted the audits in the past may need significant modification to address the challenges and uncertainties arising out of the impact of COVID-19. Additionally, irrespective of the challenges and uncertainties, there should not be any dilution in the reporting or non-compliance with the auditing standards in carrying out the audits. This book is an attempt to cover the requirements of the accounting standards and auditing standards, with illustrative examples and COVID19 related extracts from published financial statements of companies.

About the author

The author is an Associate Chartered Accountant, having secured rank in CA exams, with about 16 years of extensive experience in Accounting, Audit and Assurance fields. He has worked with several diverse companies, Indian and multinational companies, on IFRS and Ind AS GAAP conversion engagements, in India and overseas, in manufacturing, telecom, real estate, shipping and logistics.

He has been a member of IFRS desk/accounting technical professional practice group of a big audit firm for over 8 years.

He has had a stint in London, during which he was closely associated with the IFRS standard-setting projects of the International Accounting Standards Board, such as, revenue, leases and financial instruments.

The author has been serving as a special invitee for Ind-AS on the ICAI’s, Accounting Standards Board and has been part of many study groups of the ICAI. He has authored several media articles on Accounting and Valuation and has been an eminent speaker and technical trainer on financial reporting and corporate governance. The author has also authored several other books on Ind AS and taxation.