A going concern is a business that functions without the intention or threat of liquidation for the foreseeable future, usually regarded as at least within 12 months.
Use in Accounting
In accounting, "going concern" refers to a company's ability to continue functioning as a business entity (concern being an early-20th century term for "business" or "enterprise"). It is the responsibility of the directors to assess whether the going concern assumption is appropriate when preparing the financial statements. A company is required to disclose in the notes to the financial statements whether there are any factors that may put the company's status as a going concern in doubt.
Financial statements are prepared on the assumption that the entity is a going concern, meaning it will continue in operation for the foreseeable future and will be able to realize assets and discharge liabilities in the normal course of operations. Different bases of measurement may be appropriate when the entity is not expected to continue in operation for the foreseeable future.[1] Where a company is not a going concern, the break-up basis is used where all assets and liabilities are stated at Net Realizable Value.
The company's auditor must consider whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate, and whether there are material uncertainties about the entity's ability to continue to operate as a going concern that need to be disclosed in the financial statements.[2] An auditor who concludes that substantial doubt exists with regard to the appropriateness of the going concern assumption is required to issue an opinion reflecting this; a modified opinion if the company has appropriately disclosed the doubt and risks and a qualified opinion if the company has not made appropriate disclosures.[3] These are called "going concern" opinions (the terminology is counter-intuitive; such opinions are issued because the company is NOT expected to remain a going concern).
Financial statement users, businesses, and legislators believe that auditors can make two types of errors in such opinions - issuing a modified report for a company that remains viable and failing to issue a modified report for a company that becomes bankrupt before the next audit. Research has shown that only a small fraction of companies receiving modified reports become bankrupt, and that receiving such a report increases the likelihood that the company will change auditors. Through 2001, roughly half of companies that do become bankrupt had a modified opinion on their immediately prior financial statements, though this percentage has since risen higher. Auditors are at risk of being sued by financial statement users if a company that did not receive a modified opinion becomes bankrupt, although litigation reform in the 1990s lowered the risk of being sued and the liability if such a suit is successful.[4][5]
Use in Risk Management
If a public company reports that its auditors have doubts about its ability to continue as a going concern, investors may take that as a sign of increased risk, although an emphasis of matter paragraph in an audit report does not necessarily indicate that a company is on the verge of insolvency.[6] Despite this, some fund managers may be required to sell the stock to maintain an appropriate level of risk in their portfolios. A negative judgment may also result in the breach of bank loan covenants or lead a debt rating firm to lower the rating on the company's debt, making the cost of existing debt increase and/or preventing the company from obtaining additional debt financing. Because of such responses to expressed concerns by auditors, in the 1970s, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Cohen commission concluded that an auditor's expression of uncertainty about the entity's ability to continue as a going concern "tends to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The auditor’s expression of uncertainty about the company’s ability to continue may contribute to making it a certainty."[3]
Going concern principle in accounting: The life of the business is considered continuous and reports are kept on this basis.
References
- ^ CICA Handbook Section 1000.58
- ^ Auditing Practices Board, International Standard on Auditing 570 Going Concern. Paragraph 9
- ^ a b Venuti, Elizabeth K. (May 2004). "The Going-Concern Assumption Revisited: Assessing a Company’s Future Viability". The CPA Journal: 40. http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/2004/504/essentials/p40.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-05.
- ^ Geiger, Marshall A.; Raghunandan, K. (1 March 2002). "Going-Concern opinions in the "new" legal environment". Accounting Horizons (American Accounting Association). http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25256929_ITM. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
- ^ Chasan, Emily (26 February 2009). "Auditor "going concern" warnings seen peaking in '09". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE51Q0F620090227. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
- ^ "Don't Panic", Accountancy: 85–87, January 2009, http://www.icaew.com/index.cfm/route/162847/icaew_ga/Home/About_us/Institute_in_Accountancy/Going_Concern_Article_January_2008/pdf
External links
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