Group audits – Knowsia

AAA – L3 – Q44 – Group audits

Identify risks, audit planning effects, support letters, and horizontal groups' impact for Kwei Co's group audit.

Question

You are an audit manager in Rita & Co, a firm of Chartered Accountants. One of your audit clients Kwei Co provides satellite broadcasting services in a rapidly growing market.
In February 20X8 Kwei purchased Thunder Co, a competitor group of companies. Significant revenue, cost and capital expenditure synergies are expected as the operations of Kwei and Thunder are being combined into one group of companies. The following financial and operating information consolidates the results of the enlarged Kwei group:

| | Year end 31 December | | | | 20X8 (Est.) | 20X7 (Actual) | | | $m | $m | | Revenue | 6,827 | 4,404 | | Cost of sales | (3,109) | (1,991) | | Distribution costs and administrative expenses | (2,866) | (1,700) | | Research and development costs | (25) | (22) | | Depreciation and amortisation | (927) | (661) | | Interest expense | (266) | (202) | | Loss before taxation | (366) | (172) | | Customers | 14.9m | 7.6m | | Average revenue per customer (ARPC) | 458 | 579 |

In November 20X8 Kwei purchased Storm Co, a large cable communications provider in India, where your firm has no representation. The financial statements of Storm for the year ending 31 December 20X8 will continue to be audited by a local firm of Chartered Accountants. Storm’s activities have not been reflected in the above estimated results of the group. Kwei is committed to introducing its corporate image in India.
In order to sustain growth, significant costs are expected to be incurred as operations are expanded, networks upgraded and new products and services introduced.
Required
(a) Identify and describe the principal business risks for the Kwei group.
(b) Explain what effect the acquisitions will have on the planning of Rita & Co’s audit of the consolidated financial statements of Kwei Co for the year ending 31 December 20X8.
(c) Explain the role of ‘support letters’ (often called ‘comfort letters’) as evidence in the audit of financial statements.
(d) Discuss how ‘horizontal groups’ (i.e. non-consolidated entities under common control) affect the scope of an audit and the audit work undertaken.

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Tags: Audit Planning, Business Risks, Group audits, Horizontal groups, Support letters
Level: Level 3

Topic: Group audits

AAA – L3 – Q40 – Group audits

Planning considerations for Pinnacle Holdings and Viper audits, including group restructuring and disposals.

Question

The following diagram shows the structure of the Pinnacle Holdings group, a listed company with subsidiaries both locally and overseas. All subsidiaries are wholly-owned. All of Pinnacle Holdings’ overseas operations are run via Falcon.
During the year ended 31 December 20X8 the board of Pinnacle Holdings decided to restructure the group and the following events took place:
(1) Robin was sold on 1 August 20X8 to an East African competitor, Hawk. The consideration was in the form of shares in Hawk, such that Falcon now owns 30% of Hawk.
(2) Heron was sold on 30 November 20X8 to Viper. The consideration was C100 million settled in cash.
(3) To stimulate the operations of Viper and Heron, 26% of the Viper group was sold to Innovative Ventures on 1 December 20X8.
You are the audit manager on the Pinnacle Holdings audit. In addition to the main group financial statements, Viper is also required by Innovative Ventures to prepare group financial statements. Your office audits the Pinnacle Holdings group, Viper and Heron. Your Asian associate audits Falcon. Ibis (which is not material to the group) is not audited, and Hawk and Robin are audited by a small East African practice. With the exception of Ibis, all members of the group are components at which audit work will be performed.

Required
(a) Prepare notes for a planning meeting with the engagement partner setting out the significant matters which need to be considered at this stage in respect of the Viper audit.
(b) Prepare notes for a planning meeting with the engagement partner setting out the significant matters which need to be considered at this stage in respect of the Pinnacle Holdings audit.

Answer

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Tags: Audit Planning, Disposals, Financial Statements, Group audits, Subsidiary audits
Level: Level 3

Topic: Group audits

AAA – L3 – Q35 – Group Audits

Plan and manage the group audit of the Saffron Group, considering subsidiaries with separate auditors.

Question

The Saffron Group is an international business, made up of ten subsidiaries and a head office. You are the manager in charge at the firm undertaking the group audit, but there are separate local auditors for the Cinnamon subsidiary in Japan, the Fennel subsidiary in Thailand, and the Cardamom subsidiary in Greece. You are aware of the following information:

(1) Cardamom is a loss-making subsidiary, with losses at the current year end totalling C2.7 million. There are significant control problems, high levels of irrecoverable receivables, and 25% staff turnover. The local auditors have already stated their intention to give a qualified opinion for the year just ended because of the material issues found.

(2) Cinnamon is operating to a different financial year to that of the group as a whole, being October 20X8 rather than December 20X8.

(3) Shortly after the year end, in January 20X5, the Saffron Group announced the sale of Fennel for $25 million, and this disposal is currently underway.

(4) The Saffron Group is guaranteeing loans of approximately $10 million for its subsidiaries.

Required:

(a) Set out how you would plan and manage the group audit of the Saffron Group. (b) Consider the impact of each of the above issues on the group audit. (c) Explain the nature of the relationship between your firm and the auditors of the subsidiaries, making particular reference to the extent to which your firm may rely on the component auditors’ work and to the considerations involved where joint audits are conducted.

Answer

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Tags: Audit Planning, Component auditors, Consolidation, Financial Statements, Group audits
Level: Level 3

Topic: Audit Evidence, Group audits, Planning

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AAA – L3 – Q44 – Group audits

Identify risks, audit planning effects, support letters, and horizontal groups' impact for Kwei Co's group audit.

AAA – L3 – Q40 – Group audits

Planning considerations for Pinnacle Holdings and Viper audits, including group restructuring and disposals.

AAA – L3 – Q35 – Group Audits

Plan and manage the group audit of the Saffron Group, considering subsidiaries with separate auditors.

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AAA – L3 – Q44 – Group audits

Identify risks, audit planning effects, support letters, and horizontal groups' impact for Kwei Co's group audit.

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AAA – L3 – Q40 – Group audits

Planning considerations for Pinnacle Holdings and Viper audits, including group restructuring and disposals.

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AAA – L3 – Q35 – Group Audits

Plan and manage the group audit of the Saffron Group, considering subsidiaries with separate auditors.

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