Pipara & Co LLP

Going Concern

Introduction

Scope of this SA

This Standard on Auditing (SA) deals with the auditor’s responsibilities in the audit of financial statements relating to going concern and the implications for the auditor’s report. (Ref: Para. A1)

Going Concern Basis of Accounting
  • Under the going concern basis of accounting, the financial statements are prepared on the assumption that the entity is a going concern and will continue its operations for the foreseeable future. General purpose financial statements are prepared using the going concern basis of accounting, unless management either intends to liquidate the entity or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so. Special purpose financial statements may or may not be prepared in accordance with a financial reporting framework for which the going concern basis of accounting is relevant (e.g., the going concern basis of accounting is not relevant for some financial statements prepared on a tax basis). When the use of the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate, assets and liabilities are recorded on the basis that the entity will be able to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business. (Ref: Para. A2)
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Responsibility for Assessment of the Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern
  1. Some financial reporting frameworks contain an explicit requirement for management to make a specific assessment of the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern, and standards regarding matters to be considered and disclosures to be made in connection with going concern. The detailed requirements regarding management’s responsibility to assess the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and related financial statement disclosures may also be set out in law or regulation.
  2. In other financial reporting frameworks, there may be no explicit requirement for management to make a specific assessment of the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. Nevertheless, where the going concern basis of accounting is a fundamental principle in the preparation of financial statements as discussed in paragraph 2, the preparation of the financial statements requires management to assess the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern even if the financial reporting framework does not include an explicit requirement to do so.
  3. Management’s assessment of the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern involves making a judgment, at a particular point in time, about inherently uncertain future outcomes of events or conditions. The following factors are relevant to that judgment:
  • The degree of uncertainty associated with the outcome of an event or condition increases significantly the further into the future an event or condition or the outcome occurs. For that reason, most financial reporting frameworks that require an explicit management assessment specify the period for which management is required to take into account all available information.
  • The size and complexity of the entity, the nature and condition of its business and the degree to which it is affected by external factors affect the judgment regarding the outcome of events or conditions.
  • Any judgment about the future is based on information available at the time at which the judgment is made. Subsequent events may result in outcomes that are inconsistent with judgments that were reasonable at the time they were made.
Responsibilities of the Auditor
  1. The auditor’s responsibilities are to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding, and conclude on, the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements, and to conclude, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. These responsibilities exist even if the financial reporting framework used in the preparation of the financial statements does not include an explicit requirement for management to make a specific assessment of the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

However, as described in SA 200,1 the potential effects of inherent limitations on the auditor’s ability to detect material misstatements are greater for future events or conditions that may cause an entity to cease to continue as a going concern. The auditor cannot predict such future events or conditions. Accordingly, the absence of any reference to a material uncertainty about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern in an auditor’s report cannot be viewed as a guarantee as to the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Effective Date
  1. This SA is effective for audits of financial statements for periods beginning on or after April 1, 2017.

1 SA 200, Overall Objectives of the Independent Auditor and the Conduct of an Audit in Accordance with Standards on Auditing, paragraphs A51–A52.

Objectives
  1. The objectives of the auditor are:
  1. To obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding, and conclude on, the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements;
  2. To conclude, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern; and
  3. To report in accordance with this SA.
Requirements
Risk Assessment Procedures and Related Activities
  1. When performing risk assessment procedures as required by SA 315,2 the auditor shall consider whether events or conditions exist that may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. In so doing, the auditor shall determine whether management has already performed a preliminary assessment of the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern, and: (Ref: Para. A3–A6)
  1. If such an assessment has been performed, the auditor shall discuss the assessment with management and determine whether management has identified events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and, if so, management’s plans to address them; or
  2. If such an assessment has not yet been performed, the auditor shall discuss with management the basis for the intended use of the going concern basis of accounting, and inquire of management whether events or conditions exist that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.
  1. The auditor shall remain alert throughout the audit for audit evidence of events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. (Ref: Para. A7)
Evaluating Management’s Assessment
  1. The auditor shall evaluate management’s assessment of the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. (Ref: Para. A8–A10, A12–A13)

2 SA 315, Identifying and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement through Understanding the Entity and Its Environment, paragraph 5.

  1. In evaluating management’s assessment of the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern, the auditor shall cover the same period as that used by management to make its assessment as required by the applicable financial reporting framework, or by law or regulation if it specifies a longer period. If management’s assessment of the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern covers less than twelve months from the date of the financial statements as defined in SA 560,3 the auditor shall request management to extend its assessment period to at least twelve months from that date. (Ref: Para. A11– A13)
  2. In evaluating management’s assessment, the auditor shall consider whether management’s assessment includes all relevant information of which the auditor is aware as a result of the audit.
Period beyond Management’s Assessment
  1. The auditor shall inquire of management as to its knowledge of events or conditions beyond the period of management’s assessment that may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. (Ref: Para. A14–A15)
Additional Audit Procedures When Events or Conditions Are Identified
  1. If events or conditions have been identified that may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern, the auditor shall obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to determine whether or not a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern (hereinafter referred to as “material uncertainty”) through performing additional audit procedures, including consideration of mitigating factors. These procedures shall include: (Ref: Para. A16)
  1. Where management has not yet performed an assessment of the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern, requesting management to make its assessment.
  2. Evaluating management’s plans for future actions in relation to its going concern assessment, whether the outcome of these plans is likely to improve the situation and whether management’s plans are feasible in the circumstances. (Ref: Para. A17)
  3. Where the entity has prepared a cash flow forecast, and analysis of the 3 SA 560, Subsequent Events, paragraph 5(a) forecast is a significant factor in considering the future outcome of events or conditions in the evaluation of management’s plans for future actions: (Ref: Para. A18–A19)
  1. Evaluating the reliability of the underlying data generated to prepare the forecast; and
  2. Determining whether there is adequate support for the assumptions underlying the forecast.
  1. Considering whether any additional facts or information have become available since the date on which management made its assessment.
  2. Requesting written representations from management and, where appropriate, those charged with governance, regarding their plans for future actions and the feasibility of these plans. (Ref: Para. A20)
Auditor Conclusions
  1. The auditor shall evaluate whether sufficient appropriate audit evidence has been obtained regarding, and shall conclude on, the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements.
  2. Based on the audit evidence obtained, the auditor shall conclude whether, in the auditor’s judgment, a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. A material uncertainty exists when the magnitude of its potential impact and likelihood of occurrence is such that, in the auditor’s judgment, appropriate disclosure of the nature and implications of the uncertainty is necessary for: (Ref: Para. A21−A22)
  1. In the case of a fair presentation financial reporting framework, the fair presentation of the financial statements, or
  2. In the case of a compliance framework, the financial statements not to be misleading.
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