The IFRS Interpretations Committee (Committee) discussed the following matter and tentatively decided not to add a standard-setting project to the work plan. The Committee will reconsider this tentative decision, including the reasons for not adding a standard-setting project, at a future meeting. The Committee invites comments on the tentative agenda decision. All comments will be on the public record and posted on our website unless a respondent requests confidentiality and we grant that request. We do not normally grant such requests unless they are supported by good reason, for example, commercial confidence.
Tentative Agenda Decision
In January 2020 the International Accounting Standards Board (Board) issued Classification of Liabilities as Current or Non-current, which amended IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements and clarified how to classify debt and other financial liabilities as current or non-current in particular circumstances (IAS 1 amendments). The amendments are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023, with earlier application permitted.
In response to feedback and enquiries from some stakeholders, the Committee discussed how an entity applies the IAS 1 amendments to particular fact patterns. Specifically, the Committee discussed how an entity, applying paragraph 69(d) of IAS 1, determines whether it has the right to defer settlement of a liability for at least twelve months after the reporting period when (a) the right to defer settlement is subject to the entity complying with specified conditions; and (b) compliance with the specified conditions is tested at a date after the end of the reporting period. In the fact patterns discussed, it is assumed that the criteria in paragraph 69(a)–(c) of IAS 1 are not met.
Fact patterns
The Committee discussed three fact patterns with a loan that requires an entity to maintain a particular working capital ratio. In all fact patterns, the entity is assessing whether it classifies the loan as current or non-current at the end of the reporting period (31 December 20X1).
Case 1
An entity has a loan with the following contractual terms:
- the loan is repayable in five years (ie at 31 December 20X6).
- the loan includes a covenant that requires a working capital ratio above 1.0 at each 31 December, 31 March, 30 June and 30 September. The loan becomes repayable on demand if this ratio is not met at any of these testing dates.
- the entity's working capital ratio at 31 December 20X1 is 0.9 but the entity obtains a waiver before the reporting date with respect to the breach at that date. The waiver is for three months. Compliance with the covenant on the other testing dates continues to be required.
- the entity expects the working capital ratio to be above 1.0 at 31 March 20X2 (and the other testing dates in 20X2).
Case 2
The fact pattern is the same as Case 1 except:
- instead of the condition described in Case 1, the covenant requires a working capital ratio above 1.0 at each 31 March (ie the ratio is tested only once a year at 31 March). The loan becomes repayable on demand if the ratio is not met at any testing date.
- the entity’s working capital ratio at 31 December 20X1 is 0.9. The entity expects the working capital ratio to be above 1.0 at 31 March 20X2.
Case 3
The fact pattern is the same as Case 1 except:
- instead of the condition described in Case 1, the covenant requires a working capital ratio above 1.0 at 31 December 20X1 and above 1.1 at 30 June 20X2 (and at each 30 June thereafter). The loan becomes repayable on demand if the ratio is not met at any of these testing dates.
- the entity’s working capital ratio at 31 December 20X1 is 1.05. The entity expects the working capital ratio to be above 1.1 at 30 June 20X2.
Application of IAS 1 to the fact patterns
Paragraph 69(d) of IAS 1 specifies that an entity classifies a liability as current when ‘it does not have the right at the end of the reporting period to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting period’. Paragraphs 72A and 75 of IAS 1 provide related application requirements.
Case 1
The entity’s right to defer settlement of the loan for at least twelve months after the reporting period is subject to the entity complying with a specified condition—a working capital ratio above 1.0 at 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December 20X2. The entity does not comply with the condition at the end of the reporting period because its working capital ratio is 0.9.
The entity obtains a waiver from the lender but the waiver is for only three months after the reporting period. Paragraph 75 of IAS 1 states that ‘an entity classifies the liability as non-current if the lender agreed by the end of the reporting period to provide a period of grace ending at least twelve months after the reporting period’.
Accordingly, the Committee concluded that the entity does not have the right at the end of the reporting period to defer settlement of the loan for at least twelve months after the reporting period.
Case 2
The entity’s right to defer settlement of the loan for at least twelve months after the reporting period is subject to the entity complying with a specified condition—a working capital ratio above 1.0 at 31 March 20X2.
Paragraph 72A of IAS 1 states that ‘if the right to defer settlement is subject to the entity complying with specified conditions the right exists at the end of the reporting period only if the entity complies with those conditions at the end of the reporting period. The entity must comply with the conditions at the end of the reporting period even if the lender does not test compliance until a later date’. The entity does not comply with the condition at the end of the reporting period because its working capital ratio is 0.9.
Accordingly, the Committee concluded that the entity does not have the right at the end of the reporting period to defer settlement of the loan for at least twelve months after the reporting period.
Case 3
The entity’s right to defer settlement of the loan for at least twelve months after the reporting period is subject to the entity complying with two specified conditions—a working capital ratio above 1.0 at 31 December 20X1 and a working capital ratio above 1.1 at 30 June 20X2.
Paragraph 72A of IAS 1 states that ‘if the right to defer settlement is subject to the entity complying with specified conditions, the right exists at the end of the reporting period only if the entity complies with those conditions at the end of the reporting period. The entity must comply with the conditions at the end of the reporting period even if the lender does not test compliance until a later date’. The entity has a working capital ratio of 1.05 at 31 December 20X1. Therefore the entity complies with the condition tested at that date (a working capital ratio above 1.0) but does not comply with the condition that will be tested at 30 June 20X2 (a working capital ratio above 1.1).
Accordingly, the Committee concluded that the entity does not have the right at the end of the reporting period to defer settlement of the loan for at least twelve months after the reporting period.
Conclusion
In all three fact patterns described in this agenda decision, the Committee concluded that the entity is required to classify the loan as current because the entity does not have the right at the end of the reporting period (31 December 20X1) to defer settlement of the loan for at least twelve months after the reporting period.
In reaching its conclusion, the Committee noted that the entity’s expectation that it will meet the condition tested after the reporting period does not affect its assessment of the criterion in paragraph 69(d) of IAS 1. Applying paragraphs 69(d) and 72A of IAS 1, the entity’s right to defer settlement of a liability for at least twelve months after the reporting period must exist at the end of the reporting period.
The Committee concluded that the principles and requirements in IFRS Standards provide an adequate basis for the entity to determine how to classify the loan as current or non-current in the three fact patterns described in the agenda decision. Consequently, the Committee [decided] not to add a standard-setting project to the work plan.
The deadline for commenting on the tentative agenda decision is 15 February 2021. The Committee will consider all comments received in writing by that date; agenda papers analysing comments received will include analysis only of comments received by that date.
