Shipping & offshore maritime sectors must be alert to implications of new US lease accounting standard

Shipping & offshore maritime sectors must be alert to implications of new US lease accounting standard

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in the United States has issued a lease accounting standard update following the release in January 2016 of an International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) dealing with the same subject. Although it had been expected that the FASB and IFRS standards would be identical, there are instead now two standards which, although similar in many respects, contain significant differences. International accountant and shipping adviser Moore Stephens says the shipping and offshore maritime sectors will need to assess the effect of these changes on their balance sheets.

The FASB standards update, ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), applies to all companies which follow US accounting standards. As is the case with IFRS 16 (Leases), leases currently treated as off-balance-sheet operating leases will now be appearing on lessee companies’ balance sheets. While net assets may not be greatly affected, gross assets and gross liabilities will increase significantly for companies which currently have major leasing arrangements treated as operating leases.

The IASB has adopted a single lease accounting model, broadly similar to that previously used for finance leases, for all leases from the perspective of the lessee. But the FASB has retained a dual accounting model. Where a lessee is party to a capital or finance lease, the accounting treatment will remain unchanged, as it largely will under IFRS 16. But, where a lease was previously an operating lease, then under the new US standard the lessee will:

record a right-of use-asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term and a liability to make lease payments (lease liability), on a similar basis to under IFRS 16;

measure the right-of-use asset and lease liabilities at the present value of lease payments in the same way as under IFRS 16, except that variable lease payments will not be reassessed on every reporting date;

recognise a single lease expense, usually on a straight-line basis over the lease term, unlike IFRS 16 which will lead to the recording of higher expenses in the earlier years; and

classify cash payments in the statement of cashflows within operating activities, unlike under IFRS 16 where they will often be classified as financing.

Michael J Halkias, a principal with MSPC New York, an independent member firm of Moore Stephens North America, which is a regional member of Moore Stephens International Limited (MSIL), explains, “On inception of a lease, the balance sheet entries prepared under the two new standards will usually be similar, but would then diverge as the basis of charging expense differs. Expenses under the US standard will remain flatter than under IFRS and may be unchanged from current standards. There are also differences of detail dealing with matters such as subleases, and sale and leaseback transactions.”

Michael Simms, a partner in the shipping and transport group at Moore Stephens London, says, “Neither the FASB nor the IASB have felt the need to significantly change their lessor accounting models, and have largely carried forward their requirements into the new standards. But, just as there were some differences between the two models before, those differences remain.

“The new standards have been a long time coming, and it will be a few years yet before the first financial statements are published which have to comply with them. Nevertheless, many companies in the shipping and offshore maritime sectors will need to consider the effect on their financial statements quite soon. Some will see major changes to their balance sheets, and a certain amount of change to their reported profits. Companies will also need to consider the effect that the changes will have on compliance with the terms of financing which includes covenants. And where breaches of covenant are likely, or reasonably possible, talking to lenders before the change hits the accounts will be crucial.”

Moore Stephens LLP is noted for a number of industry specialisations and is widely acknowledged as a leading shipping, offshore maritime and insurance adviser. Moore Stephens LLP is a member firm of Moore Stephens International Limited, one of the world's leading accounting and consulting associations, with 657 offices of independent member firms in 106 countries, employing 27,613 people and generating revenues in 2015 of $2.7 billion. www.moorestephens.co.uk


For more information:
Michael SImms
Moore Stephens LLP
Tel: +44 (0)20 7334 9191
michael.simms@moorestephens.com


Michael J Halkias
MSPC
Tel: +1 (212) 682 1234
mhalkias@mspc-cpa.com

Maritime sector must absorb balance sheet implications of new lease accounting standard

A new international accounting standard dealing with leases could have major implications for companies in the shipping and offshore maritime sectors, and particularly for time charterers, according to international accountant and shipping adviser Moore Stephens.

The new standard, IFRS 16, is effective for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019, although early adoption is allowed. It covers all leases, whether the company acts as a lessor or a lessee. Michael Simms, a partner in the shipping and transport group at Moore Stephens, says, “In general, the changes for lessors and for lessees with existing finance leases are fairly minor. But those who have operating leases as a lessee, for example many of those with shorter-term time charters, will be most affected.

“IFRS 16 removes the distinction which previously existed between finance and operating leases. As a result, companies which previously leased in vessels under arrangements identified as operating leases will now find that, under the new standard, they have to recognise their interest in the vessel as an asset in the balance sheet. At the same time, they will also be required to record a liability for their future payments under the charter, to the extent that they relate to the vessel.”

Where a lease is recorded for the first time under the new rules, this will not always have a major effect on reported net assets. But it may make a substantial difference to gross assets and gross liabilities, changing ratios that are based on these figures. Where companies have loan covenants based on total debt levels, this may lead to breaches simply due to the accounting change.

There will also be some effect on reported profit, although this will vary between companies. Total lease costs will be more front-loaded, with higher charges in the earlier years and lower charges in the later years. The effect of this will be felt most by those companies with just a few – or even only one - substantial charter, while those with a number of charters may at various stages find that, even though the charges on each one might change, the overall charges remain broadly the same.

Michael Simms notes, “Time charters cover the provision of both a vessel and related services to the charterer, but it is only the asset element of the contract that falls within the scope of the lease standard. The service element will continue to be dealt with separately and, as was the case previously, no liability will be recorded until the services have been provided. Under the new standard, an allocation of total amounts payable will need to be made between the amounts attributable to the lease and those attributable to the service. Charterers will need to apply judgement in making this allocation.

“The new model for all leases is broadly similar to the old model for finance leases. For existing finance leases, a lessee needs to determine the interest rate that should be applied to the lease to determine the amount at which both the asset and the initial liability is recorded. The same basic idea will apply to all leases in the future. Ideally, the interest rate inherent in the lease should be used, as it currently is with a finance lease. In practice, this amount will often not be known to the lessee. Where this is the case the amount will have to be estimated by reference to the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate, which is likely to involve some judgement.”

There are exemptions under the new standard. In particular, an asset and liability need not be recorded in respect of short leases, those of less than a year. To avoid this being used too widely, there are provisions covering leases with variable terms which may last for more than a year. Very short-term charters will be excluded, although those with extension clauses will have to be considered in great detail.

Michael Simms concludes, “The new standard has been a long time coming, and it will be a few years yet before the first financial statements are published which have to comply with IFRS 16. Nevertheless, many companies in the shipping and offshore maritime sectors will need to consider the effect on their financial statements quite soon. Some will see major changes to their balance sheets, and a certain amount of change to their reported profits. Companies will need to consider the effect that the changes will have on compliance with the terms of loans which include covenants. And where breaches of covenant are likely, or reasonably possible, talking to lenders before the change hits the accounts will be crucial.”

Moore Stephens LLP is noted for a number of industry specialisations and is widely acknowledged as a leading shipping, offshore maritime and insurance adviser. Moore Stephens LLP is a member firm of Moore Stephens International Limited, one of the world's leading accounting and consulting associations, with 626 offices of independent member firms in 103 countries, employing 26,290 people and generating revenues in 2014 of $2.7 billion. www.moorestephens.co.uk


For more information:
Michael Simms
Moore Stephens LLP
Tel: +44 (0)20 7334 9191
michael.simms@moorestephens.com