IFRS® 5, Non-current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations

The FR examining team is aware that candidates find the application of IFRS® 5, Non-current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations challenging.

This article will specifically address discontinued operations. The identification of and, more importantly, presentation of a discontinued operation is an area where candidates struggle in exam questions. As we will see, IFRS 5 requires the results of discontinued operations to be presented separately in the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income.

‘Non-current assets held for sale’ are part of the FR syllabus but are not covered by this technical article.

What is a discontinued operation?

IFRS 5 (Appendix A) includes the following defined terms:
 

Discontinued operation A component of an entity that either has been disposed of or is classified as held for sale and:

a) represents a separate major line of business or geographical area of operations,

b) is part of a single co-ordinated plan to dispose of a separate major line of business or geographical area of operations or

c) is a subsidiary acquired exclusively with a view to resale.

Component of an entity Operations and cash flows that can be clearly distinguished, operationally and for financial reporting purposes, from the rest of the entity.

Examples of discontinued operations in recent annual reports include:

  • In 2018, Mexico’s Coca-Cola FEMSA – the world’s biggest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola trademark drinks – sold its 51% controlling shareholding in Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines for $715 million. This disposal meant that the entity sold a component representing a geographical area of operations.
  • In 2022, Germany’s adidas – one of the world’s leading sports companies – sold its entire shareholding in Reebok for €2.1 billion and generated a profit from discontinued operations of €348 million. This disposal meant that the entity sold a component representing a separate major line of business.

Discontinued operations may be examined in the context of an individual company or a group of companies. Both above examples represent the disposal of a subsidiary.

How do I present a discontinued operation?

As provided in IFRS 5 (para 31), an entity shall disclose:

a) a single amount in the statement of comprehensive income comprising the total of:

i) the post-tax profit or loss of discontinued operations, and
ii) the post-tax gain or loss recognised on the measurement to fair value less costs to sell or on the disposal of the assets of the discontinued operation.

b) an analysis of the single amount in (a) into:

i) the revenue, expenses and pre-tax profit or loss of discontinued operations
ii) the gain or loss recognised on the measurement to fair value less costs to sell or on the disposal of the assets of the discontinued operation, and
iii) the income tax expense on the above items.

To summarise:

a) a single figure for discontinued operations is presented on the face of the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income; and

b) a more detailed analysis of this is presented in the notes to the financial statements.

An alternative approach is to present a column for the results of continuing operations and a column for the results of discontinued operations (effectively showing two statements). This is very time consuming and is not the approach taken in the FR exam.

You will not be required to prepare detailed notes to the financial statements in the FR exam.

Both IAS 1, Presentation of Financial Statements and IFRS 5 provide a pro forma for presenting discontinued operations in the statement of profit or loss. This is combined into the following:
 

[Company Name] Group  
Consolidated statement of profit or loss  
For the year ended [date]  
  $’000
Revenue +
Cost of sales -
Gross profit Subtotal
Other income +
Distribution costs -
Administrative expenses -
Other expenses -
Finance costs -
Share of profit/ loss of associates +/ -
Profit/ Loss before tax Subtotal
Income tax expense -
Profit/ Loss for the year from continuing operations Subtotal
Profit/ Loss for the year from discontinued operations +/ -
PROFIT/ LOSS FOR THE YEAR Total
   
Attributable to:  
Owners of the parent  
   Profit/ Loss for the year from continuing operations +/ -
   Profit/ Loss for the year from discontinued operations +/ -
   Profit/ Loss for the year attributable to owners of the parent Subtotal
Non-controlling interests  
   Profit/ Loss for the year from continuing operations +/ -
   Profit/ Loss for the year from discontinued operations +/ -
   Profit/ Loss for the year attributable to non-controlling interests Subtotal
   
PROFIT/ LOSS FOR THE YEAR Total

As can be seen, the income and expenses of continuing operations are detailed line by line. This means that continuing and discontinued operations must be separated (and so, workings will be required in an exam question).

The FR exam may assess this topic as part of a group accounting question. If an entire subsidiary is disposed of and if this meets the criteria for a discontinued operation, then its results are consolidated up to the date of disposal. However, in accordance with IFRS 5, this must be presented as a single line item.

We can apply what we’ve covered so far to an illustrative example.

Illustrative example – Tùzǐ Group

The individual statements of profit or loss for Tùzǐ Co and its subsidiaries for the year ended 31 December 20X3 are as follows:
  Tùzǐ Co Lǎohǔ Co Niú Co
  $’000 $’000 $’000
Revenue 500,200 180,900 355,000
Cost of sales (249,000) (89,600) (185,600)
Gross profit 251,200 91,300 169,400
Administrative expenses (123,400) (28,500) (104,600)
Investment income 300,000      –           –     
Profit before tax 427,800 62,800 64,800
Income tax expense (22,000) (8,200) (7,600)
PROFIT FOR THE YEAR 405,800 54,600 57,200
 
Additional information:

1. For years, Tùzǐ Co has wholly owned Lǎohǔ Co and owned 80% of the equity shares of Niú Co.

2. Neither Lǎohǔ Co nor Niú Co paid a dividend during the year and there were no intra-group transfers of assets.

3. Tùzǐ Co acquired its shareholding in Niú Co on 1 January 20X1 for a cash consideration of $200m. On 1 July 20X3, Tùzǐ Co disposed of its entire shareholding in Niú Co for a cash consideration of $300m. The proceeds received have been included in the investment income of Tùzǐ Co. The disposal qualifies as a discontinued operation.

4. At acquisition and at 31 December 20X3, Niú Co’s equity share capital was $30m. Niú Co’s retained earnings at those dates were $130m and $203m, respectively.

5. Tùzǐ Co measures non-controlling interests at acquisition at fair value. On 1 January 20X1, the fair value of the non-controlling interests in Niú Co was $46m.

6. The carrying amounts of Niú Co’s net assets in its individual financial statements at the date of acquisition were equal to their fair value.

7. The goodwill related to Niú Co had been impaired by $2m in the year ended 31 December 20X2 but no further impairments have occurred. There has been no impairment in the goodwill related to Lǎohǔ Co.

8. The results of Niú Co accrued evenly across the year.  
Prepare the Tùzǐ Group’s consolidated statement of profit or loss for the year ended 31 December 20X3.

There has been no intra-group trading and so Lǎohǔ Co requires no consolidation adjustments for the consolidated statement of profit or loss. Instead, we simply consolidate its results up until the date of disposal.

The following approach should be taken when addressing the disposal of Niú Co:

1. Calculate profit (or loss) only for the six months to 1 July 20X3 (results accrued evenly across the year).

2. Calculate the profit (or loss) on disposal of the subsidiary.

3. Present, in a single line item in the consolidated statement of profit or loss, the profit (or loss) for the year from discontinued operations (the total/ net of the above items).

The proceeds received from the disposal have been incorrectly recognised in ‘investment income’. After the proceeds had been debited to bank in its individual financial statements, Tùzǐ Co should have credited the investment in the subsidiary and recognised a profit or loss on disposal. This would then be adjusted on consolidation.

We also need to recognise the non-controlling interests’ share of current year profits. Note that the non-controlling interests in this question relate solely to the discontinued operation (as Lǎohǔ Co is wholly owned). This is relevant for the apportionment of profit in the consolidated statement of profit or loss.

Step 1

Profit for the six months to 1 July 20X3 $’000
6/12 months x $57.2m 28,600

Step 2

Profit on disposal of subsidiary $’000 $’000
     
Proceeds and non-controlling interests    
Proceeds   300,000
Non-controlling interests:    
  Fair value at acquisition 46,000  
  Share of historical profit (20% x [$203m-$57.2m-$130m]) 3,160  
  Share of historical goodwill impairment (20% x $2m) (400)  
  Share of profit for six months (20% x $28.6m) 5,720  
  Carrying amount at 1 July 20X3   54,480
    354,480
Assets disposed of    
Net assets ($30m + [$203m-$28.6m])   204,400
Goodwill:    
  Consideration 200,000  
  Non-controlling interests at acquisition 46,000  
  Net assets ($30m + $130m) (160,000)  
  Goodwill at acquisition 86,000  
  Historical impairment of goodwill (2,000)  
    84,000
    288,400
     
Profit on disposal of subsidiary   66,080

Step 3

Profit for the year from discontinued operations $’000
Profit for the six months to 1 July 20X3 28,600
Profit on disposal of subsidiary 66,080
Profit for the year from discontinued operations 94,680

Consolidated statement of profit or loss

Tùzǐ Group  
Consolidated statement of profit or loss  
For the year ended 31 December 20X3  
  $’000
Revenue 681,100
Cost of sales 338,600
Gross profit 342,500
Administrative expenses 151,900
Profit before tax 190,600
Income tax expense 30,200
Profit for the year from continuing operations 160,400
Profit for the year from discontinued operations 94,680
PROFIT FOR THE YEAR 255,080
   
Attributable to:  
Owners of the parent  
   Profit for the year from continuing operations 160,400
   Profit for the period from discontinued operations 88,960
   Profit for the year attributable to owners of the parent 249,360
Non-controlling interests  
   Profit for the year from continuing operations
   Profit for the period from discontinued operations 5,720
   Profit for the period attributable to non-controlling interests 5,720
   
PROFIT FOR THE YEAR 255,080

Notes

  • Lǎohǔ Co’s income and expenses are included line by line within continuing operations.
  • Profit for the year from discontinued operations attributable to the owners of the parent includes the Tùzǐ Co’s profit on disposal of the subsidiary ($66.08m) and 80% of Niú Co’s profit for the six months up to disposal (80% x $28.6m).
  • Profit for the period from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interests is calculated as 20% of Niú Co’s profit for the six months up to disposal (20% x $28.6m).
  • Non-controlling interests are not entitled to a share of the parent company’s (Tùzǐ Co’s) profit on disposal of the subsidiary.

Summary

Under IFRS 5, a discontinued operation may be presented as a single line item within the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income or an entire separate column, detailed line by line. If the former approach is taken, a disclosure note must present a more detailed analysis.

Written by a member of the Financial Reporting examining team