Compound Financial Instruments (ASPE)

Question 1

Compound Financial Instruments (ASPE)

Answer 1

• Financial instruments, or their component parts, should be classified as a liability or equity in accordance with the substance of the contractual arrangement on initial recognition and the definitions of a liability and an equity instrument
• Financial instruments that contain both a liability and an equity element, including warrants or options issued with and detachable from a financial liability, should be separated into component parts, as follows:
  o The equity component is measured as zero, i.e. the entire proceeds of the issue are allocated to the liability component; or
  o The less easily measurable component is allocated the residual amount after deducting from the entire proceeds of the issue the amount determined for the component that is more easily measurable
• The sum of the carrying amounts assigned to the liability and equity components on initial recognition is always equal to the carrying amount that would be ascribed to the instrument as a whole, i.e. no gain or loss can arise from recognizing and presenting the components of the instrument separately

Reference: ASPE 3856.20 - .22