5 Pingway issued a $10 million 3% convertible loan note at par on 1 April 2007 with interest payable annually in arrears. Three years later, on 31 March 2010, the loan note is convertible into equity shares on the basis of $100 of loan note for 25 equity shares or it may be redeemed at par in cash at the option of the loan note holder. One of the company’s financial assistants observed that the use of a convertible loan note was preferable to a non-convertible loan note as the latter would have required an interest rate of 8% in order to make it attractive to investors. The assistant has also commented that the use of a convertible loan note will improve the profit as a result of lower interest costs and, as it is likely that the loan note holders will choose the equity option, the loan note can be classified as equity which will improve the company’s high gearing position. The present value of $1 receivable at the end of the year, based on discount rates of 3% and 8% can be taken as: 3% 8% $ $ End of year 1 0·97 0·93 2 0·94 0·86 3 0·92 0·79 Required: Comment on the financial assistant’s observations and show how the convertible loan note should be accounted for in Pingway’s income statement for the year ended 31 March 2008 and statement of financial position as at that date. (10 marks) 5 Accounting correctly for the convertible loan note in accordance with IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Presentation and IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement would mean that virtually all the financial assistant’s observations are incorrect. The convertible loan note is a compound financial instrument containing a (largely) debt component and an equity component – the value of the option to receive equity shares. These components must be calculated using the residual equity method and appropriately classified (as debt and equity) on the statement of financial position. As some of the proceeds of the instrument will be equity, the gearing will not be quite as high as if a non-convertible loan was issued, but gearing will be increased. However, if the loan note is converted to equity in March 2010, gearing will be reduced. The interest rate that would be applicable to a non-convertible loan (8%) is representative of the true finance cost and should be applied to the carrying amount of the debt to calculate the finance cost to be charged to the income statement thus giving a much higher charge than the assistant believes. Accounting treatment: financial statements year ended 31 March 2008 Income statement: Finance costs (see working) $693,920 Statement of financial position: Non-current liabilities 3% convertible loan note (8,674 + 393·92) $9,067,920 Equity Option to convert $1,326,000 Working (figures in brackets in $’000) cash flows factor at 8% present value $’000 year 1 interest 300 0·93 279 year 2 interest 300 0·86 258 year 3 interest and capital 10,300 0·79 8,137 ––––––– total value of debt component 8,674 proceeds of the issue 10,000 ––––––– equity component (residual amount) 1,326 ––––––– The interest cost in the income statement should be $693,920 (8,674 x 8%), requiring an accrual of $393,920 (693·92 – 300 i.e. 10,000 x 3%). This accrual should be added to the carrying value of the debt. |