Accounting Exposure Eiteman et al., Chapter 10 Winter 2004 Accounting Exposure Accounting exposure, also called translation exposure, results from the need to restate foreign subsidiaries’ financial statements, usually stated in foreign currency, into the parent’s reporting currency when preparing the consolidated financial statements. Restating financial statements may lead to changes in the parent’s net worth or net income. 2
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Accounting Exposure
Eiteman et al., Chapter 10
Winter 2004
Accounting Exposure
Accounting exposure, also calledtranslation exposure, results
from the need to restate foreign subsidiaries’ financial statements,
usually stated in foreign currency, into the parent’s reporting
currency when preparing the consolidated financial statements.
Restating financial statements may lead to changes in the
parent’s net worth or net income.
2
Translation Exposure
When converting financial statement items (transactions)
denominated in currencies other than the parent currency, two
choices of exchange rate are possible:
• Thehistorical rate, the exchange rate prevailing at the time
of the transaction
• Thecurrent rate, the exchange rate prevailing at the balance
sheet date or during the income statement period
3
Translation Exposure
Conversion of financial statements into the parent’s currency
creates the following concerns:
• The exposure to exchange rate changes
• The treatment of translation gains or losses
4
Translation Exposure
SFAS 52 provides two translation methods:
• Thetemporal method, or remeasurementprocess
• Thecurrent rate method, or translationprocess
5
Translation Exposure
The method used to restate financial statements is based on the
choice offunctional currencyfor each subsidiary.
The functional currency is the primary currency used in the
subsidiary’s operations.
This currency may be the foreign subsidiary’s local currency, the
parent’s currency, or a third currency.
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Translation Exposure
There exists three categories of foreign operations:
• Relatively self-contained, independent entities operating primarily in
local markets. The functional currency of these entities is generally the
local currency.
• Significantly integrated operations that serve as sales outlets for the
parent’s products and services. The functional currency should be the
parent’s currency in this case.
• Subsidiaries operating in highly inflationary economies. The use of the
parent’s currency as the functional currency is required in this case.
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Translation Exposure
• If the foreign entity’s functional currency is the local
currency, financial statements are translated using the
current rate method.
• If the foreign entity’s functional currency is the parent’s
currency, financial statements are remeasured using the
temporal method.
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Translation Exposure
If the functional currency of a foreign subsidiary is not the local
currency, then the subsidiary’s financial statements are
1. Remeasured in the subsidiary’s functional currency using the
temporal method;
2. Translated from functional to parent’s currency using the
current rate method.
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The Current Rate Method
• All assets and liabilities are translated at the rate in effect on the balance
sheet date.
• All items on the income statement are translated at an appropriate average
exchange rate or at the rate prevailing when the various revenues,
expenses, gains and losses were incurred (historical rate).
• Dividends paid are translated at the rate in effect on the payment date.
• Common stock, paid-in capital and retained earnings are translated at
historical rates.
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The Current Rate Method
When the current rate method is used, gains and losses from
translation are reported in a separate equity account called
cumulative translation adjustment (CTA).
Gains and losses do not appear in the income statement when the
current rate method is used.
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The Current Rate Method
Advantages of CTA
• Eliminates the variability of net earnings due to translation gains or
losses.
• The relative proportions of individual balance sheet accounts remain the
same (debt-to-equity ratio, for example).
Main disadvantage of CTA
• Violates the accounting principle of carrying balance sheet accounts at
historical cost.
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The Current Rate Method
Under the current rate method, translation exposure is