Tentative Board Decisions

Tentative Board decisions are provided for those interested in following the Board's deliberations. All of the reported decisions are tentative and may be changed at future Board meetings.

Wednesday, May 26, 2021 FASB Board Meeting

Fair value measurement of equity securities subject to contractual sale restrictions (formerly “Effect of Underwriter Restrictions on Fair Value Measurements”). The Board began its initial deliberations on the effect of sale restrictions on fair value measurement.

Scope

The Board expanded the scope of the project to all equity securities subject to contractual sale restrictions. The project was previously limited to the effect of underwriter restrictions on fair value measurement.

Measurement

The Board decided to amend Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, to clarify that lock-up agreements are entity specific and not a part of the unit of account in the measurement of fair value of equity securities.

Transition

The Board decided that all entities, except for investment companies under Topic 946, Financial Services—Investment Companies, would apply the proposed amendments on a prospective basis with any adjustment recognized in earnings on the date of adoption. An entity that qualifies as an investment company under Topic 946 would only apply the proposed amendments to investments in equity securities in which the lock-up agreement is executed on or after the adoption date. Equity securities in which a lock-up agreement was executed before the adoption date would be accounted for in the same manner until the expiration of the lock up.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

The Board concluded that it has received sufficient information and analysis to make an informed decision on the expected costs of the amendments and that the expected benefits of the amendments would justify the expected costs.

Permission to Ballot and Next Steps

The Board concluded that it has received sufficient information and analysis to make an informed decision on the issues presented.

The Board directed the staff to draft a proposed Accounting Standards Update for vote by written ballot. The Board decided on a 60-day comment period for the proposed Update.

Disclosures by business entities about government assistance. The Board completed redeliberations on the proposed Accounting Standards Update, Government Assistance (Topic 832): Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance, and made the following decisions:

Scope

The Board decided that the disclosures should apply to a business entity that has accounted for a transaction with a government by analogizing to a grant or a contribution accounting model (for example, a grant model within IFRS Standards or Subtopic 958-605, Not-for-Profit Entities—Revenue Recognition).

Effective Date

The Board decided that the amendments should be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, for all business entities. Early adoption is permitted.

Expected Costs and Expected Benefits

The Board concluded that it has received sufficient information and analysis to make an informed decision on the expected costs of the amendments and that the expected benefits of the amendments would justify the expected costs.

Next Steps

The Board decided not to issue a revised proposed Update and directed the staff to draft a final Accounting Standards Update for vote by written ballot.

Improving the accounting for asset acquisitions and business combinations. The Board continued its deliberations on the accounting for contingent consideration at the acquisition date for both business combinations and asset acquisitions. No decisions were reached.

The Board directed the staff to bring the following issues to future Board meetings in sequence:

  1. The initial and subsequent accounting for contingent consideration in a business combination (including a summary and analysis of outreach with private company stakeholders)
  2. The initial and subsequent accounting for contingent consideration in an asset acquisition, including additional analysis on what is included and excluded from the scope of that guidance (including a summary and analysis of outreach with private company stakeholders)
  3. Interaction with the derivatives and other financial instruments guidance.