General Terms / Glossary Flashcards
Interest
Interest is the money paid by a borrower to a lender for the use of the lender’s money over a certain period of time. The sum of money borrowed or loaned is called the principal.
The rate of interest is the amount charged for the use of the principal over that given period of time.
Interest rates are normally quoted as a nominal (for example, ignoring compounding effects) annual rate.
Compound interest
Compound interest
Compounding is when interest is calculated on the outstanding principal plus accumulated
unpaid interest, rather than just the principal balance.
Time value of money
Time value of money
The premise of the time value of money (TVM) is that a dollar that you have today is worth more than the value of a dollar in the future.
Money that you hold today is worth more because you can invest it and earn interest.
Given that many financial liabilities are measured at the present value of the future cash flow stream, it is important to have a working knowledge of TVM.
Annuity
Annuity - Series of payments of the same amount paid or received at regular intervals.
Annuity due
Annuity due is the annuity in which payments are paid or received at the beginning of the period, with the first payment due when the obligation is incurred
Accretion expense
Accretion expense is interest expense arising on an asset retirement obligation under ASPE.
Amortized cost (net book value)
Amortized cost (net book value) is the carrying cost of the financial liability as recorded in the books of the borrower.
The amortized cost is the amount initially recognized as an obligation, less principal payments, plus amortization of the discount or minus amortization of the premium arising on issuance.
The effective interest method is used to amortize discounts and premiums under IFRS.
Under ASPE, the straight-line method may also be used.
Asset retirement obligation
Asset retirement obligation is the terminology used in ASPE for decommissioning and site restoration obligations.
Constructive obligations
Constructive obligations are liabilities that arise from recurring past practice, rather than a contractual or legal responsibility.
Contingent asset
Contingent asset is an asset that the entity may be entitled to at a future date if one or more uncertain events occur and these events are not wholly within the control of the entity.
Contingent liability
Contingent liability can be either a) a liability that the entity may be responsible for at a future date if one or more uncertain events occur and these events are not wholly within the control of the entity
or
b) a present obligation that is not recognized because either it is not probable that the entity will have to pay the obligation or the obligation cannot be reliably measured.
Coupon (stated rate) of interest
Coupon (stated rate) of interest the stated rate of interest used to determine the interest payments on a financial liability.
Decommissioning (site restoration) obligations
Decommissioning (site restoration) obligations arise from an entity’s constructive or legal obligation to restore or remediate a site.
Defeasance
Defeasance is when a borrower places sufficient assets in trust to liquidate a loan at maturity, and as a result the lender discharges the borrower from its obligation to pay.
Deferred revenue
Deferred revenue (deposits, revenue received in advance, unearned revenue) are a liability that arises from accepting full or partial payment in advance for the future delivery of a good or service
Derecognition
Derecognition occurs when a financial statement element is removed from the statement of financial position.
Discount rate (market rate of interest)
Discount rate (market rate of interest) is the required rate of return for a given transaction that factors in a number of items including the probability of default; the time to maturity; the security offered; the risk-free lending rate and inflationary expectations.
Discounting
Discounting is the process of calculating the present value of amounts to be paid or received at a future date or dates.
Discounts
Discounts may arise on obligations if a financial liability does not pay interest or the stated rate of interest is less than the market rate of interest.
Effective interest
Effective interest rate is the interest rate actually paid when comparing the total amount repaid to the amount initially received and accounting for the effects of compounding.
In the absence of transaction costs, the effective rate of interest will equal the market rate of
interest when the liability was incurred.
Effective interest method
Effective interest method refers to the method used to determine the amortized cost of
financial liabilities.
Expected value
Expected value is the probability-weighted average of all possible outcomes.
Expected values are calculated by multiplying each possible outcome by the probability of occurrence.
Expense-type warranties
Expense-type warranties are provided by the manufacturer with no additional fee being
charged for them.
Fair value (market value)
Fair value (market value) is the price (dollar amount) that willing participants under no compulsion to act will agree upon for a particular transaction.
Financial liability
Financial liability is a contractual obligation to deliver cash or another financial asset to
another entity.
Financial liability at fair value through profit or loss
Financial liability at fair value through profit or loss is a financial liability that is initially
and subsequently measured at fair value
Future value (FV)
Future value (FV) is the amount to be paid or received at a future point in time.
In-substance defeasance
In-substance defeasance is when a borrower places sufficient assets in trust to liquidate a
loan at maturity, but the lender does not discharge the borrower from its obligation to pay.
Initial measurement
Initial measurement is how a financial statement element (such as a liability) is measured
(assigned a dollar amount) when it is first included in the financial statements.
Liability
Liability is a present obligation to pay money or deliver a good, other asset or service to
another party at a future date.
Non-financial liability
Non-financial liability is an obligation that meets the definition of a liability but is noncontractual
in nature and/or will be settled by means other than the payment of cash or
delivery of another financial asset
Not probable
Not probable is a term used in accounting for contingencies. For contingent assets and
contingent liabilities, “not probable” denotes a probability of less than 50%.
Onerous contract
Onerous contract is a contract in which the unavoidable costs of meeting an obligation
exceed the economic benefits expected to be earned by fulfilling the contract.
Other financial liability
Other financial liability is a financial liability that is normally initially measured at fair value
less transaction costs and subsequently measured at amortized cost.
Own-party awards
Own-party awards are customer loyalty awards supplied by the company making the sale.
Perpetuity
Perpetuity is a special case of an annuity where the contract runs forever, that is, there is
no end to the payments to be paid or received.
Possible
Possible is a term used in accounting for contingencies.
For contingent liabilities, “possible” denotes the range of >5%/10% to 50%.
Premiums
Premiums may arise on obligations if the stated rate of interest of a financial liability is
greater than the market rate of interest.
Present value (PV)
Present value (PV) is the value today of a single payment or a series of payments to be paid or received in the future given a specified interest (discount) rate.
Probable
Probable is a term used in accounting for contingencies. For contingent assets, “probable”
denotes the range of >50% to 95%. For contingent liabilities, “probable” denotes a
probability of greater than 50%
Provision
Provision is a liability where there is uncertainty about the amount of the obligation and/or
the timing of the payment.
Recognition
Recognition is when a transaction is first included in one of the financial statements. This
would normally be accomplished by processing a journal entry that creates an asset,
liability, equity, income or expense.
Regular annuity
Regular annuity is an annuity in which the payments are paid or received at the end of
each period.
Remote
Remote is a term used in accounting for contingencies. For contingent liabilities, “remote”
denotes the range of 0% to 5%/10%.
Sales-type warranties
Sales-type warranties are sold separately from the warranted product either by the
manufacturer or another party.
Subsequent measurement
Subsequent measurement is how a financial statement element (such as a liability) is
measured (assigned a dollar amount) when it is included in subsequent financial
statements.
Third-party awards
Third-party awards are customer loyalty awards supplied by a company different from that
making the sale.
Unavoidable costs under a contract
Unavoidable costs under a contract are the lower of the cost of fulfilling the contract and
the compensation that must be paid for not fulfilling the contract.
Virtually certain
Virtually certain is a term used in accounting for contingencies. For contingent assets,
“virtually certain” denotes a probability of 95% or greater.
Warranties
Warranties are a guarantee provided by the manufacturer or other party that it will fix or
replace defective products for a specified period.
Opportunity cost rate
the interest rate that would be earned under another use for the funds
CBCA
Canada Business Corporations Act
Accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) is reported on the statement of
financial position as a component of equity. Other comprehensive income is closed to
AOCI. The most common sources of AOCI are changes in fair value of investments valued
at fair value through OCI; unrealized holding gains on property, plant and equipment valued
using the revaluation method; and unrealized gains and losses on plan liabilities and
actuarial gains and losses on plan liabilities for defined benefit pension plans.
Benchmark price
Benchmark price for SARs is the price to which the market price of the underlying shares
is compared to determine the amount of the award under a stock appreciation rights plan.
This is analogous to the exercise price for employee stock options. See also exercise price.
Call options
Call options are contracts that give the holders the right, but not the obligation, to buy a
specified amount of an item for a specified price and for a specific period of time.
Cash dividends
Cash dividends are a distribution of cash to shareholders in direct proportion to their
ownership
Common (ordinary) shares
Common (ordinary) shares are the class(es) of shares that have the right to share in the
profit or loss of the company and the residual amount on liquidation.
Compound financial instruments
Compound financial instruments are financial instruments that include at least two
components, one or more of which is a convertible security.
Contributed capital
Contributed capital is the amount received by the corporation from selling (issuing) shares
to the shareholders, net of redemptions or repurchases. Contributed capital incudes
common shares and preference shares.
Contributed surplus
Contributed surplus is an ASPE term used to describe the equity account used, for
example, to accumulate gains and losses on share redemptions.
Convertible bonds
Convertible bonds are compound financial instruments that include a) a bond that pays
interest at the specified rate and the face amount at maturity and b) an option to exchange
that bond for a predetermined number of common shares during a specified time frame.
Convertible preference shares
Convertible preference shares are compound financial instruments that include a) a
preference share that is entitled to dividends at the stated rate and b) an option to
exchange that preference share for a predetermined number of common shares during a
specified time frame.
Cumulative preference shares
Cumulative preference shares are shares for which all previously missed dividend
payments, together with the current entitlement, must be paid before any monies can be
distributed to the common shareholders by way of dividend.
Date of record
Date of record is the cut-off date established by a company in order to determine
which shareholders are eligible to receive a dividend or distribution.
Derivatives
Derivatives are financial instruments that change in value with an underlying economic
item such as a specified interest rate, commodity price or foreign exchange rate. They
require no or relatively little initial investment, and are settled at a future date.
Dividend declaration date
Dividend declaration date is the date the board of directors declares a dividend payable.
Dividend distribution (payment) date
Dividend distribution (payment) date is the date that the cash dividend is paid, or the stock or property dividend is distributed.
Dividends
Dividends are a distribution of capital to the owners of the corporation.
Dividends in kind (property dividends)
Dividends in kind (property dividends) are a distribution of non-cash assets to
shareholders in direct proportion to their ownership.
Employee stock options
Employee stock options are a form of call option on a corporation’s shares offered to select employees as part of their compensation package.
Employee stock option plans (ESOPs)
Employee stock option plans (ESOPs) are plans in which the employer offers select
employees the option of purchasing common shares in the company at a pre-established price for a specified period of time.
Ex-dividend date
Ex-dividend date is the date on or after which a security is traded without a previously declared dividend or distribution. If the stock is purchased before the ex-dividend date, the purchaser is entitled to receive the recently declared dividend; if purchased on or after the ex-dividend date, the seller is entitled to receive the dividend.
Exercise date
Exercise date is the date on which the employee may exercise (cash in) the stock option or stock appreciation right.
Exercise (strike) price
Exercise (strike) price is the pre-established price at which the employee may buy the shares under an employee share ownership program. This is analogous to the benchmark price for stock appreciation rights.
Expiration date
Expiration date is the last date on which the employee may exercise the stock option or stock appreciation right.
Forward contracts
Forward contracts are contracts where one party agrees to buy and the counterparty agrees to sell a specified amount of something (for example, a foreign currency or gold) for a specified price, at a specified time in the future. Forward contracts can be customized with respect to quantity, price and delivery date.
Futures contracts
Futures contracts are contracts where one party agrees to buy and the counterparty agrees to sell a specified amount of something (for example, a foreign currency or gold) for a specified price, at a specified time in the future. Futures contracts are standardized with respect to quantities, prices and delivery dates, and are exchange traded.
Grant date
Grant date is the date on which the employee stock option or stock appreciation right is granted to the employee.
Intrinsic value of a call option
Intrinsic value of a call option equals the market price of a share minus the exercise
price, subject to a minimum value of $0.
Intrinsic value of a stock appreciation right
Intrinsic value of a stock appreciation right equals the market price of a share minus the benchmark price, subject to a minimum value of $0.
Net assets (shareholders’ equity)
Net assets (shareholders’ equity) is defined as assets minus liabilities. It represents the residual interest in the net assets of the company.
No par value shares
No par value shares are shares to which the issuing corporation has not legally assigned a monetary value.
Non-cumulative preference shares
Non-cumulative preference shares are shares for which previously missed dividend
payments are not required to be paid. Rather, only the current entitlement must be paid before monies can be distributed to the common shareholders by way of dividend
Offset method
Offset method is the method under which share issuance costs are deducted from
(debited to) the related share capital account.
Option-pricing models
Option-pricing models are used to determine the fair value of options. Black-Scholes and binomial pricing models are examples of option-pricing models.
Options
Options are contracts that give the holders the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a specified amount of something (for example, a commodity or common equity in a corporation) for a specified price and for a specific period of time.
Par value shares
Par value shares are shares to which the issuing corporation has legally assigned a
monetary value.
Preference (preferred) shares
Preference (preferred) shares are additional categories of shares that offer rights and privileges other than a residual interest in the company.