The IFRS for SMEs Accounting Standard Update is a staff-prepared summary of news, events and other information relating to the IFRS for SMEs Accounting Standard and related SME activities. The staff summary has not been reviewed by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).

This edition provides an overview of Section 19: Business Combinations and Goodwill in the Third Edition of the Standard.

Section 19 explains how an entity should account for a transaction in which one business acquires or obtains control over another business. In accounting terms, this is known as a business combination.

It also explains how to account for goodwill, which generally represents the excess of the consideration transferred over the fair value of the acquiree’s identifiable net assets.

The Acquisition Method

Assume that Company A acquires Company B.

Company B may have cash, inventory, equipment, customer relationships and liabilities. The buyer cannot simply record the purchase price as one lump sum. The transaction must be analysed to identify what was acquired and which obligations were assumed.

The Third Edition requires SMEs to apply the acquisition method, which involves the following steps:

• Identify the acquirer;

• Determine the date on which control was obtained;

• Identify and measure the assets acquired and liabilities assumed; and

• Determine whether the transaction gives rise to goodwill or a bargain purchase gain.

What Is Goodwill?

Goodwill represents value that may not be separately visible or identifiable in the accounting records.

It may arise from factors such as:

• Business reputation;

• A strong brand;

• Trained employees;

• Customer loyalty;

• Established systems; and

• Expected synergies from combining the businesses.

If the consideration transferred exceeds the fair value of the acquiree’s identifiable net assets, the difference is recognised as goodwill.

If the consideration transferred is lower than the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired, the transaction may result in a bargain purchase gain.

Measuring Assets and Liabilities at the Acquisition Date

A key requirement of Section 19 is that the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are generally measured at their fair values on the acquisition date, subject to certain exceptions.

This means that the financial statements should reflect what those assets and liabilities were worth when control was obtained, rather than simply carrying forward the amounts recorded in the seller’s previous accounting records.

What Qualifies as a Business?

Not every acquisition is a business combination.

An entity may acquire a group of assets, such as a building, machinery and inventory, without acquiring an operating business.

The revised Section 19 provides clearer guidance to help SMEs determine whether they have acquired:

• A business; or

• Merely a group of assets.

It also permits an optional concentration test to simplify this assessment in certain circumstances.

Acquisition-Related Costs

Legal fees, advisory fees and similar costs incurred in connection with the acquisition are generally recognised as expenses in profit or loss.

They are not normally added to the purchase price of the acquired business, unless they fall within the requirements applicable to financial instruments or liabilities and equity.

In simple terms, the cost of carrying out the transaction is generally treated as an expense rather than as part of the value of the business acquired.

Contingent Consideration

Contingent consideration is a part of the purchase price that depends on future events or conditions.

For example, the seller may be entitled to an additional RM2 million if the acquired business reaches a specified profit target in the following year.

Under the revised requirements, contingent consideration is measured at fair value. If fair value cannot be determined without undue cost or effort, it is measured at the most likely amount.

Step Acquisitions and Other Arrangements

The revised Section 19 also addresses more complex transactions, including step acquisitions.

A step acquisition occurs when an entity first acquires a smaller interest in another entity and later acquires sufficient additional shares or interests to obtain control.

The revised requirements also cover situations in which a new entity is established specifically to carry out the business combination.

Subsequent Accounting for Goodwill

Under IFRS for SMEs, goodwill is not left unchanged indefinitely.

It is measured at:

Cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses.

In practical terms:

• Goodwill is amortised over its useful life; and

• An impairment loss is recognised if its value has declined.

Common-Control Combinations

Section 19 does not automatically apply to every restructuring.

Business combinations under common control are excluded from the mandatory scope of Section 19. This may apply where the same individual or group of owners ultimately controls the entities both before and after the restructuring.

In such circumstances, management must use judgement to select an appropriate accounting policy rather than applying Section 19 automatically.

Transition from the Second Edition

The transition requirements are intended to reduce the burden for SMEs moving from the Second Edition to the Third Edition.

Generally, an entity does not need to restate business combinations that occurred before it first applies the Third Edition.

An important exception relates to certain contingent consideration arrangements, because the relevant requirements have changed and may require the related amounts and subsequent accounting treatment to be reassessed.

Example

Assume that CCS Sdn Bhd acquires 100% of ABC Sdn Bhd for RM5 million.

After performing an appropriate valuation, CCS determines that the fair value of ABC’s identifiable net assets is RM4.2 million.

The difference is:

RM5 million − RM4.2 million = RM800,000

The RM800,000 may represent goodwill arising from ABC’s customer relationships, trained workforce, reputation or expected future benefits from combining the businesses.

Alternatively, if CCS pays RM4 million for a business whose identifiable net assets have a fair value of RM4.2 million, the transaction may result in a bargain purchase gain.

In simple terms, the buyer may have acquired the business at a favourable price. Section 19 also explains how this situation should be accounted for.

Key Takeaway

Section 19 requires the financial statements to clearly explain:

• What was acquired;

• Which liabilities and obligations were assumed;

• How much consideration was transferred; and

• Whether the transaction created additional value in the form of goodwill.

The Third Edition updates Section 19 to reflect more modern business combination requirements and helps SMEs present the real cost and financial effects of acquisitions more clearly.

IFRS for SMEs 第三版：了解企业合并与商誉

**《IFRS for SMEs 会计准则更新》**是由工作人员编写的摘要，内容涉及 IFRS for SMEs 会计准则及相关中小型企业活动的新闻、动态及其他信息。

这份工作人员摘要未经**国际会计准则理事会（IASB）**审阅。

本期内容概述第三版准则中的第 19 节：企业合并与商誉。

第 19 节说明，当一家企业收购或取得另一家企业的控制权时，应如何进行会计处理。在会计术语中，这称为企业合并（Business Combination）。

该章节也说明如何处理商誉（Goodwill）。商誉通常代表已转让对价超过被收购方可辨认净资产公允价值的部分。

收购法

假设 A 公司收购 B 公司。

B 公司可能拥有现金、存货、设备、客户关系，同时也可能承担各种负债。收购方不能只是把收购价作为一笔总额入账，而必须详细分析交易，确认到底取得了什么资产，以及承担了哪些义务。

第三版要求中小型企业采用收购法（Acquisition Method），主要步骤如下：

• 确定收购方；

• 确定取得控制权的日期；

• 识别及计量所取得的资产与承担的负债；以及

• 判断交易是否产生商誉或廉价购买收益。

什么是商誉？

商誉代表一些无法在会计记录中单独清楚辨认的价值。

商誉可能来自以下因素：

• 企业声誉；

• 强大的品牌；

• 经过培训的员工；

• 客户忠诚度；

• 已建立的管理系统；以及

• 企业合并后预期产生的协同效应。

如果已转让的对价高于被收购方可辨认净资产的公允价值，差额就确认为商誉。

如果已转让的对价低于所取得可辨认净资产的公允价值，交易则可能产生廉价购买收益（Bargain Purchase Gain）。

收购日的资产与负债计量

第 19 节的一项重要要求是：所取得的资产及所承担的负债，一般应按照收购日的公允价值进行计量，但准则规定的部分例外情况除外。

这意味着财务报表应反映企业取得控制权时，这些资产及负债的实际价值，而不是直接沿用卖方过去账簿中记录的金额。

什么才算是一项业务？

并不是每一次收购都构成企业合并。

企业可能只是购买一组资产，例如建筑物、机器及存货，却没有取得一套能够独立运作的业务。

修订后的第 19 节提供了更清晰的指引，帮助中小型企业判断其取得的是：

• 一项业务；或

• 只是一组资产。

在某些情况下，准则也允许采用可选择的集中度测试（Concentration Test），以简化这项判断。

收购相关费用

与收购有关的律师费、顾问费及类似费用，一般应直接计入损益。

这些费用通常不应加进被收购业务的购买价，除非它们属于金融工具，或属于负债与权益相关要求的范围。

简单来说，完成收购交易所花费的成本，通常应作为费用处理，而不是被视为所收购业务价值的一部分。

或有对价

**或有对价（Contingent Consideration）**是指收购价的一部分取决于未来事件或条件是否达成。

例如，卖方可能约定，如果被收购企业在下一年度达到指定利润目标，收购方需要额外支付200万令吉。

根据修订后的要求，或有对价应按照公允价值计量。如果在不需要付出不当成本或努力的情况下无法确定公允价值，则按照最可能金额计量。

分阶段收购及其他安排

修订后的第 19 节也涵盖较复杂的交易，包括分阶段收购（Step Acquisition）。

分阶段收购是指企业先取得另一家企业的少数权益，之后再进一步收购足够的股份或权益，从而取得控制权。

修订后的要求也涵盖为完成企业合并而特别设立新实体的情况。

商誉的后续会计处理

根据 IFRS for SMEs，商誉并不是在初始确认后永远维持原有金额。

商誉应按以下方式计量：

成本减累计摊销及累计减值亏损。

从实务角度来看：

• 商誉应在其使用年限内进行摊销；以及

• 如果商誉价值下降，就必须确认减值损失。

共同控制下的合并

第 19 节并不是自动适用于所有重组交易。

共同控制下的企业合并不属于第 19 节的强制适用范围。如果在重组前后，相关企业最终都由同一位人士或同一组业主控制，就可能属于这种情况。

在这类情况下，管理层必须运用判断，选择适当的会计政策，而不是机械式地直接套用第 19 节。

从第二版过渡至第三版

过渡规定旨在减轻中小型企业从第二版转换至第三版时的负担。

一般来说，企业首次采用第三版时，不需要重列在采用第三版之前已经发生的企业合并。

不过，某些或有对价安排属于重要例外，因为相关要求已经改变，企业可能需要重新评估有关金额及后续会计处理。

例子

假设 CCS Sdn Bhd 以 500万令吉收购 ABC Sdn Bhd 的 100% 股权。

经过适当估值后，CCS 确定 ABC 可辨认净资产的公允价值为 420万令吉。

差额为：

500万令吉 − 420万令吉 = 80万令吉

这 80万令吉可能代表 ABC 的客户关系、员工团队、企业声誉，或合并业务后预期产生的未来利益，因此可能确认为商誉。

另一方面，如果 CCS 只以 400万令吉收购一项可辨认净资产公允价值为 420万令吉的业务，交易可能产生廉价购买收益。

简单来说，收购方可能以较优惠的价格取得该业务。第 19 节也说明了这类情况应如何进行会计处理。

重点总结

第 19 节要求财务报表清楚说明：

• 收购了什么；

• 承担了哪些负债及义务；

• 实际转让了多少对价；以及

• 交易是否产生了商誉形式的额外价值。

第三版更新了第 19 节，使其更贴近现代企业合并的会计要求，并帮助中小型企业更清晰地呈现收购的真实成本及财务影响。