ACCOUNTING STANDARDS FOR INVESTMENTS

Definition of investment

The following terms are used in this Standard with the meanings assigned:

•     Investments are assets held by an enterprise for earning income by way of dividends, interest, and rentals, for capital appreciation, or for other benefits to the investing enterprise. Assets held as stock-in-trade are not ‘investments’.
•     Current investment is an investment that is by its nature readily realisable and is intended to be held for not more than one year from the date on which such investment is made.
•     A long term investment is an investment other than a current investment.
•     An investment property is an investment in land or buildings that are not intended to be occupied substantially for use by, or in the operations of, the investing enterprise.
•     Fair value is the amount for which an asset could be exchanged between a knowledgeable, willing buyer and a knowledgeable, willing seller in an arm’s length transaction. Under appropriate circumstances, market value or net realisable value provides an evidence of fairvalue.
•     Market value is the amount obtainable from the sale of an investment in an open market, net of expenses necessarily to be incurred on or before disposal.

Classification of Investments

Enterprises present financial statements that classify fixed assets, investments and current assets into separate categories. Investments are classified as long term investments and current investments. Current investments are in the nature of current assets, although the common practice may be to include them in investments.

Investments other than current investments are classified as long term investments, even though they may be readily marketable.

Further classification of current and long-term investments should be as specified in the statute governing the enterprise. In the absence of a statutory requirement, such further classification should disclose, where applicable, investments in:

(a) Government or Trust securities

(b) Shares, debentures or bonds

(c) Investment properties

(d) Others—specifying nature.

Forms of Investments

Enterprises hold investments for diverse reasons. For some enterprises, investment activity is a significant element of operations, and assessment of the performance of the enterprise may largely, or solely, depend on the reported results of this activity.

Some investments have no physical existence and are represented merely by certificates or similar documents (e.g., shares) while others exist in a physical form (e.g., buildings). The nature of an investment may be that of a debt, other than a short or long term loan or a trade debt, representing a monetary amount owing to the holder and usually bearing interest; alternatively, it may be as take in the results and net assets of an enterpriseAnchor such as an equity share. Most investments represent financial rights, but some are tangible, such as certain investments in land or buildings.

For some investments, an active market exists from which a market value can be established. For such investments, market value generally provides the best evidence of fair value. For other investments, an active market does not exist and other means are used to determine fairvalue.

Cost of Investments

The cost of an investment includes acquisition charges such as brokerage, fees and duties. If an investment is acquired, or partly acquired, by the issue of shares or other securities, the acquisition cost is the fair value of the securities issued (which, in appropriate cases, may be indicated by the issue price as determined by statutory authorities). The fair value may not necessarily be equal to the nominal or par value of the securities issued.

If an investment is acquired in exchange, or part exchange, for another asset, the acquisition cost of the investment is determined by reference to the fair value of the asset given up. It may be appropriate to consider the fair value of the investment acquired if it is more clearly evident.

Interest, dividends and rentals receivables in connection with an investment are generally regarded as income, being the return on the investment. However, in some circumstances, such inflows represent a recovery of cost and do not form part of income. For example, when unpaid Shares, debentures and other securities held for sale in the ordinary course of business are disclosed as ‘stock-in-trade’ under the head ‘current assets’. interest has accrued before the acquisition of an interest-bearing investment and is therefore included in the price paid for the investment, the subsequentAnchor receipt of interest is allocated between pre-acquisition and post-acquisition periods; the pre-acquisition portion is deducted from cost.

When dividends on equity are declared from pre-acquisition profits, a similar treatment may apply. If it is difficult to make such an allocation except on an arbitrary basis, the cost of investment is normally reduced by dividends receivable only if they clearly represent a recovery of apart

When right shares offered are subscribed for, the cost of the right shares is added to the carrying amount of the original holding. If rights are not subscribed for but are sold in the market, the sale proceeds are taken to the profit and loss statement. However, where the investments are acquired on cum-right basis and the market value of investments immediately after their becoming ex-right is lower than the cost for which they were acquired, it may be appropriate to apply the sale proceeds of rights to reduce the carrying amount of such investments to the market value.

Carrying Amount of Investments

Current Investments

The carrying amount for current investments is the lower of cost and fair value. In respect of investments for which an active market exists, market value generally provides the best evidence of fair value. The valuation of current investments at lower of cost and fair value provides a prudent method of determining the carrying amount to be stated in the balance sheet.

Valuation of current investments on overall (or global) basis is not considered appropriate. Sometimes, the concern of an enterprise may be with the value of a category of related current investments and not with each individual investment, and accordingly the investments may be carried at the lower of cost and fair value computed category wise (i.e. equity shares, preference shares, convertible debentures, etc.). However, the more prudent and appropriate method is to carry investments individually at the lower of cost and fairvalue.

For current investments, any reduction to fair value and any reversals of such reductions are included in the profit and loss statement.

Long-term Investments

Long-term investments are usually carried at cost. However, when there is a decline, other than temporary, in the value of a long term investment, the carrying amount is reduced to recognise the decline.

Indicators of the value of an investment are obtained by reference to its market value, the investee’s assets and results and the expected cash flows from the investment. The type and extent of the investor’s stake in the investee are also taken into account. Restrictions on distributions by the investee or on disposal by the investor may affect the value attributed to the investment.

Long-term investments are usually of individual importance to the investing enterprise. The carrying amount of long-term investments is therefore determined on an individual investment basis.

Where there is a decline, other than temporary, in the carrying amounts of long term investments, the resultant reduction in the carrying amount is charged to the profit and loss statement. The reduction in carrying amount is reversed when there is a rise in the value of the investment, or if the reasons for the reduction no longer exist.

Investment Properties

The cost of any shares in a co-operative society or a company, the holding of which is directly related to the right to hold the investment property, is added to the carrying amount of the investment property.

Disposal of Investments

• On disposal of an investment, the difference between the carrying amount and the disposal proceeds, net of expenses, is recognised in the profit and loss statement.
• When disposing of a part of the holding of an individual investment, the carrying amount to be allocated to that part is to be determined on the basis of the average carrying amount of the total holding of the investment.
• In respect of shares, debentures and other securities held as stock-in-trade, the cost of stocks disposed of is determined by applying an appropriate cost formula (e.g. first-in, first-out, average cost, etc.). These cost formulae are the same as those specified in Accounting Standard (AS) 2, in respect of Valuation of Inventories.

Reclassification of Investments

Where long-term investments are reclassified as current investments, transfers are made at the lower of cost and carrying amount at the date of transfer.

Disclosure

The following disclosures in financial statements in relation to investments are appropriate:—

• the accounting policies for the determination of carrying amount of investments;
• the amounts included in profit and loss statement for:
• interest, dividends (showing separately dividends from subsidiary companies),
• and rentals on investments showing separately such income from long term and current investments.
• Gross income should be stated, the amount of income tax deducted at source being included under Advance Taxes
• profits and losses on disposal of current investments and changes in carrying amount of such investments;
• profits and losses on disposal of long term investments and changes in the carrying amount of such investments;
• significant restrictions on the right of ownership, reliability of investments or the remittance of income and proceeds of disposal;
• the aggregate amount of quoted and unquoted investments, giving the aggregate market value of quoted investments;
• other disclosures as specifically required by the relevant statute governing the enterprise.

Taxes Paid;

(ii) profits and losses on disposal of current investments and changes in the carrying amount of such investments; and

(iii) profits and losses on disposal of long term investments and changes in the carrying amount of such investments; significant restrictions on the right of ownership, reliability of investments or the remittance of income and proceeds of disposal; the aggregate amount of quoted and unquoted investments, giving the aggregate market value of quoted investments; other disclosures as specifically required by the relevant statute governing the enterprise.