Posts tagged 'IFRS'

Goodwill for all European companies

Lisa joined FT Alphaville in September 2011 after a tour of duty through the guts of the financial industry, having worked as an analyst at a bank and for a financial data company.

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| Jan 24 11:10 | Comment |

The European Securities and Markets Authority has squinted at the amount of goodwill on the balance sheets of 235 listed European companies, and it’s not happy with what it found. Not only were the companies seemingly too optimistic, given prevailing economic conditions, but some of their disclosures contained insufficient detail. It’s the sort of thing that makes it hard for investors and analysts to understand what’s going on.

That’s the boring explanation. Let’s go over it again, but this time with pictures! Read more

Overly processed accounting — who eats this stuff?!

Lisa joined FT Alphaville in September 2011 after a tour of duty through the guts of the financial industry, having worked as an analyst at a bank and for a financial data company.

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| Oct 29 2012 15:35 | Comment |

Heavily processed foods are generally unhealthy. Those looking after their waistline may wish to read ingredients lists and follow food journalist Michael Pollan’s advice: “Don’t eat anything that your great-great grandmother would not recognize as food.”

Could the same be said of financial accounts? That is: “Don’t trust anything your grandparents wouldn’t recognise as a justifiable line item.” Read more

Accruing an old lady

Joseph joined FT Alphaville way back in March 2010. He likes all the politically and legally fiddly bits of finance. He also likes credit, rates, global macro, tail risk, and all that stuff. (You should email him story ideas. He’ll take anything.)

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| Jul 12 2012 16:50 | Comment |

The UK’s Office for Budget Responsibility is in desperate need of a graphic designer…

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Accruing better sovereign credit

Joseph joined FT Alphaville way back in March 2010. He likes all the politically and legally fiddly bits of finance. He also likes credit, rates, global macro, tail risk, and all that stuff. (You should email him story ideas. He’ll take anything.)

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| May 29 2012 22:49 | Comment |

Here’s a distinction you tend not to see on the front pages of the sovereign crisis…

Cash-based sovereign accounting: recognising a cost only when cash changes hands. Accrual-based: recognising a cost when it’s incurred in the first place. Read more

Accounting for Egg

| Mar 01 2011 09:27 | Comment |

Compare and contrast Tuesday’s statements from Barclays and Citigroup on the sale of the Egg UK credit card portfolio.

First, Barclays: Read more

2011 is the year of accounting ‘condorsement,’ Fitch says

Tracy Alloway used to be deputy editor of FT Alphaville. Here she learned the details of derivatives, the absurdities of accounting and the various structures of ... erm ... structured finance. She now covers big US banks for the FT paper, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. She pops up on FT Alphaville every once in a while.

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| Jan 19 2011 18:38 | Comment |

This is meant to be the year of accounting convergence.

You’re probably already yawning by now — but wait! This is important. Read more

The international FAS 157-e

Tracy Alloway used to be deputy editor of FT Alphaville. Here she learned the details of derivatives, the absurdities of accounting and the various structures of ... erm ... structured finance. She now covers big US banks for the FT paper, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. She pops up on FT Alphaville every once in a while.

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| Apr 03 2009 13:38 | Comment |

The US accounting standards board – the FASB – voted to change mark-to-market rules yesterday, in a widely-expected move.

The analysts – and pundits – have had plenty of time to formulate their opinions on the subject;  here’s a selection. Read more