Accounting Flashcards
What is GAAP?
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
What is the benefit/purpose of GAAP?
To standardise and improve the consistency of accounting principles internationally
What are the 10 principles of GAAP?
Regularity R C S P N P C P M U
Consistency
Sincerity
Permanence
Non-compensation
Prudence
Continuity
Periodicity
Materiality
Utmost good faith
What are the International Accounting Standards?
The older accounting standards that were replaced by IFRS in 2001
What is IFRS?
International Financial Reporting Standards
Accounting rules for financial statements for publicly traded companies to make it easier to compare businesses globally.
Why were IFRS introduced to replace IAS?
Goal was to make it easier to compare businesses around the world
Wanted to increase transparency and trust in global reporting
What is IFRS 16?
Effective from 1 January 2019
Requires lessee to recognise assets and liabilities for all leases with a term of more than 12 months
IFRS 16 sets out principles for an IFRS reporter to recognise, measure, present and disclose leases
What is the objective of IFRS 16?
Report information that represents lease transactions
Leases need to be placed on balance sheets
What is depreciation?
The reduction in value of an asset over its useful life. Applied to fixed assets which generally experience a loss in their utility over multiple years
What are the two types of asset?
Fixed (long term) - e.g. land
Current (short term) - e.g. cash/stock
What is amortisation?
An accounting method used to spread the cost of an intangible asset over its useful life
What are the two types of liability?
Fixed (long term) - e.g. not due soon
Current (short term) - e.g. those due within a year
What is tenant covenant strength?
The ability of a tenant to comply with lease obligations
What is the efficiency ratio?
Evaluates how efficiently a company uses assets to generate sales
What is the profitability ratio?
Conveys how well a company can generate profit from its operations (profit DIVIDED by net sales)
What is the solvency ratio?
Compares a company’s debt with its assets, equity and earnings
Suggests whether a company is solvent and can pay lenders debts
What is the liquidity ratio?
A ratio that determines a company’s ability to pay its short term debt obligations
Current assets / current liabilities
How is the liquidity ratio interpreted?
If ratio = 1 they can exactly pay off all liabilities with assets but if lower then they can’t
What are the main commercial credit rating agencies?
Dunn and bradstreet
Moody’s
Standard and poor (S&P)
Fitch Ratings
How was the 3-month rent free period documented with solicitors?
1) Was documented through a side letter (rent concession letter)
2) I inputted the information onto a data change form
3) Actioned by the data team
4) No accounting charges for rent raised for the period (inbetween two quarters)
5) Accounting team allocated correctly on next payment
What is a credit rating?
A numerical assessment of an organisations creditworthiness, based on previous dealings
What are the two parts of a Dunn and Bradstreet rating?
2A - Financial Strength (Based on tangible net worth)
4 - Risk Indicator (Derived from D&B failure score e.g. payment history, employee number, length of operation)
What is a management account?
Internal process of accounting used to account for business transactions
What is a company account?
Documents prepared at the financial year end showing a company’s performance over the account period - Legal requirement under the Companies Act 2006
What does it mean if a company goes into administration?
Company becomes insolvent and is put under the management of licensed insolvency practitioners
What is EBITDA?
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation
- Measure of company profitability
Shows how much cash flow a company has available to pay for long-term debt
What is bankruptcy?
A legal proceeding whereby a person/business is unable to repay outstanding debt and liabilities
What are the 3 tests of insolvency?
Cash flow test - check if able to pay bills in near future
Balance sheet test - check if assets are greater than liabilities
Legal action test - check if legal action has been taken against business for debt of £750 or more - If it has they will be deemed insolvent
What is liquidation?
A process where assets are used to pay off debts via a liquidator
- Leftover money goes to shareholders and company is closed
HMRC is usually paid first, there will be a hierarchy of stakeholders owed
What is receivership?
A court appointed tool that can assist creditors to recover funds in default and help companies avoid bankruptcy
- Aims to return companies to profitability
- Independent receiver appointed by court - they manage companys business
What is the acid test ratio?
Liquidity ratio that measures ability of company to use its quick assets to extinguish its current liabilities immediately
What are the account KPIs related to the 7 day markers?
Day 7 - 80%
Day 14 - 85%
Day 21 - 90%
Day 28 - 95%
What is IFRS and what did it replace?
International Financial Reporting Standards
- Replaced international accounting standards in 2001
What are the goals of IFRS 16?
Ensure that leaseholders provide relevant info that represents their lease
Assess the effect that leases have on financial position, financial performance and cash flows of an entity
What is the result of IFRS 16?
Affects key accounting and financial ratios impacting a companies attractiveness and ability to raise finance
Might result in entities taking shorter leases to reduce debt on the balance sheet
Increase in assets, liabilities and net debt where leases are brought onto the balance sheet
What governs the format of company accounts?
The Companies Act 2006
What is included in company accounts as laid out in Companies Act 2006?
Cover page
Information and contents page
Directors report
Accountants report
Statutory profit and loss account
Balance sheet
Notes to the accountant
What is a balance sheet?
Outlines a company’s assets and liabilities - Shows a sign of their worth