Briefly discuss the type of contingencies that Coca Cola is involved in and the

Question

Briefly discuss the type of contingencies that Coca Cola is involved in and the accounting treatment of such contingencies. Give your opinion on whether the notes to the financial statements disclose the necessary information on the contingencies for interested parties to make an investing decision. Based on the information disclosed, decide whether you would you invest in Coca Cola. Justify your rationale. Suppose management is involved in a situation where the outcome of the situation is contingent upon certain events to occur; however, management is unsure of the generally accepted accounting principles for reporting contingencies. You are the senior accountant, and management has tasked you with preparing a report on contingencies. Distinguish between a gain contingency and a loss contingency, and highlight the accounting treatment for each type of contingency. Also, recommend two (2) improvements to the reporting requirements on loss contingencies to FASB.

Explanation / Answer

Coca cola Company is involved in various legal proceedings and tax matters. Due to their nature, such legal proceedings and tax matters involve inherent uncertainties including, but not limited to, court rulings, negotiations between affected parties and governmental actions. Management assesses the probability of loss for such contingencies and accrues a liability and/or discloses the relevant circumstances, as appropriate.

There is diversity in practice as it relates to the accounting for contingent consideration by the seller. The seller can account for the future contingent payments received as a gain contingency, recognizing the amounts in the income statement only after the related contingencies are resolved and the gain is realized, which in this arrangement will be quarterly as the bottlers earn gross profit in the transferred territories. Alternatively, the seller can record a receivable for the contingent consideration at fair value on the date of sale and record any future differences between the payments received and this receivable in the income statement as they occur. We elected the gain contingency treatment since the quarterly payments will be received throughout the terms of the CBAs, including all subsequent renewals, regardless of the cumulative amount received as compared to the value of the intangible assets transferred.

Investors and other users of financial information have expressed concerns that current disclosures required in FASB Statement No. 5 Accounting for contingencied, do not provide sufficient information in a timely manner to assist users of financial statements in assessing the likelihood, timing, and amount of future cash flows associated with loss contingencies. Yes the notes discloses the information about the contingencies. You can invest in company.

Type of contingencies:

Accounting treatment:

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse B
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.