Study Objective

The FASB is conducting outreach with preparers to consider improvements to the aggregation criteria and the reportable segments process. The Board is currently seeking public companies to test the operability of two potential alternatives and to identify any unintended consequences.
 

Ideal Participants

The Board is seeking public companies that have multiple operating segments and apply the aggregation criteria in the Accounting Standards Codification Topic 280, Segment Reporting. If you are interested, please tell us more about your organization by clicking on the link below and registering.
 
We have closed registration for the 2019 disclosure study and are no longer accepting applicants at this time.

Project Overview

The FASB has a project on its technical agenda to improve the segment reporting requirements within Topic 280.

The project is not looking to fundamentally revise Topic 280. However, it is targeting two aspects of the segment reporting requirements for improvement. First, it seeks to improve the segment aggregation guidance and the reportable segments process, as is being analyzed in the current study. Second, it seeks to improve the segment disclosure and reconciliation requirements, as will be analyzed in a separate study in 2019.

As part of the project, the FASB is seeking public companies to participate in a study to help the Board better understand issues preparers may face in applying different potential alternatives to improve the existing segment aggregation criteria and reportable segments process.  

What Alternatives Are Being Considered?

The outreach will focus on two potential alternatives:

1. Reorder the process for determining reportable segments and move the quantitative thresholds earlier in that process
2. Remove the aggregation criteria, thereby each operating segment would be reportable until a practical limit is reached.

How Will the FASB Use Information Obtained from the Study?

The feedback received during the study will help inform the FASB about the costs and benefits of the different alternatives to improve the aggregation criteria and the reportable segments process. A summary of the findings will be presented to the Board at future public FASB meetings. Individual feedback will be kept confidential.  

When Will the Study Begin and What Is the Time Commitment?

The study will begin in August 2018 and will last for two to three months. Feedback is expected to be summarized in fall 2018. Participants’ time commitments will vary based on the amount of detail an entity is able to provide about the reportable segments process.

Will There Be Future Outreach on Segment Reporting Disclosures?

While this study is focused on alternatives to improve the segment aggregation criteria and reportable segments process, in the future the Board will focus on alternatives to improve the segment disclosure requirements. A separate study on segment disclosure alternatives will be conducted in 2019.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact the following FASB staff members:

Lauren Mottley
Supervising Project Manager
lmottley@fasb.org
Tel: 203.956.3472
 
Kurt H. Gee
Post-Doctoral Fellow
kgee@fasb.org
Tel: 203.956.5317

Gabrielle Roe
Postgraduate Technical Assistant
groe@fasb.org
Tel: 203.956.5298

Madeline Nash
Postgraduate Technical Assistant
mnash@fasb.org
Tel: 203.956.5205