Tech giant Microsoft [Nasdaq: MSFT] announced its first quarter 2021 results on October 27, 2020. Growth in Microsoft’s gross margin and operating income was driven by a change in accounting estimate for the useful lives of server and network equipment. … Continue reading
Category Archives: Changes in Accounting Estimates
An Overview of Nineteen Years of Changes in Accounting Estimates
While some numbers in financial statements are relatively straightforward, others can be complex. Some of the more complex figures that are unable to be concretely quantified require management to make significant estimates. There are many components of financial statements that … Continue reading
Academic Literature Review – Changes in Accounting Estimates
In theory, accounting is supposed to be black and white, with binary decision-making processes and no wiggle room. In practice, however, not all figures shown in financial statements are unequivocal. In some cases, the lines are blurry because transactions are … Continue reading
Ollie’s Bargain Outlets’ Elimination of Critical Accounting Disclosure Draws SEC Attention
Retailer Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. [OLLI] recently drew the SEC’s attention when the company said it would eliminate all of its critical accounting estimates. The SEC requires companies to make critical accounting disclosures when a firm must make judgment … Continue reading
Differences in Loss Reserve Estimate Disclosures Could Spell Uncertainty
Investors and analysts should be aware that there is more than one way to disclose Changes in Accounting Estimates. In some cases, inconsistency in the disclosure practices make it difficult to predict whether a review or an investigation is likely … Continue reading
Could We have Predicted the General Electric Insurance Charge?
General Electric (GE) stock reached a new low of $16.02 on January 19, 2018, continuing the 2017 downtrend into 2018. The slide followed an announcement that the company has completed a comprehensive review of its insurance portfolio. The review was … Continue reading
An Overview of 17 Years of Changes in Accounting Estimates
Launched back in 2013, the Audit Analytics Changes in Accounting Estimates database now has nearly 18 years worth of changes in accounting estimate disclosures. We’ve analyzed all annual and quarterly SEC filings going back to January 1, 2000. We have just … Continue reading