Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to Be Disposed Of (Issued 3/95)

Summary

This Statement establishes accounting standards for the impairment of long-lived assets, certain identifiable intangibles, and goodwill related to those assets to be held and used and for long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles to be disposed of.

This Statement requires that long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles to be held and used by an entity be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. In performing the review for recoverability, the entity should estimate the future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. If the sum of the expected future cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) is less than the carrying amount of the asset, an impairment loss is recognized. Otherwise, an impairment loss is not recognized. Measurement of an impairment loss for long-lived assets and identifiable intangibles that an entity expects to hold and use should be based on the fair value of the asset.

This Statement requires that long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles to be disposed of be reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell, except for assets that are covered by APB Opinion No. 30, Reporting the Results of Operations-Reporting the Effects of Disposal of a Segment of a Business, and Extraordinary, Unusual and Infrequently Occurring Events and Transactions. Assets that are covered by Opinion 30 will continue to be reported at the lower of carrying amount or net realizable value.

This Statement also requires that a rate-regulated enterprise recognize an impairment for the amount of costs excluded when a regulator excludes all or part of a cost from the enterprise's rate base.

This Statement is effective for financial statements for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 1995. Earlier application is encouraged. Restatement of previously issued financial statements is not permitted. Impairment losses resulting from the application of this Statement should be reported in the period in which the recognition criteria are first applied and met. The initial application of this Statement to assets that are being held for disposal at the date of adoption should be reported as the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle.