9.4 Change in Transaction Price After a Contract Modification
The previous sections address situations involving a contract modification and a
change in the amount of consideration in the
contract. In those situations, the change in the
amount of consideration occurred at the time of
the modification and was a result of the
modification. However, a contract’s consideration
could also change when an entity reassesses the
variable consideration of a contract at the end of
a reporting period in accordance with ASC
606-10-32-14. This reassessment is required in all
reporting periods for all contracts, including
those that have been modified.
For example, suppose that an entity, on the basis of its initial judgment,
determines that it is constrained from recognizing variable consideration as revenue
at the beginning of a contract. Further assume that after a modification occurs, the
entity performs a reassessment of the variable consideration and determines that it
is no longer constrained. As a result of this reassessment, the entity needs to
determine how to allocate the variable consideration to performance obligations that
have not been satisfied and possibly even to those that were satisfied before the
modification.
To address a change in variable consideration after a modification, the FASB provides the following guidance, which is intended to align with the guidance on a change in the variable consideration of a contract that has not been modified:
ASC 606-10
32-45 An entity shall account for a change in the transaction price that arises as a result of a contract modification in accordance with paragraphs 606-10-25-10 through 25-13. However, for a change in the transaction price that occurs after a contract modification, an entity shall apply paragraphs 606-10-32-42 through 32-44 to allocate the change in the transaction price in whichever of the following ways is applicable:
- An entity shall allocate the change in the transaction price to the performance obligations identified in the contract before the modification if, and to the extent that, the change in the transaction price is attributable to an amount of variable consideration promised before the modification and the modification is accounted for in accordance with paragraph 606-10-25-13(a).
- In all other cases in which the modification was not accounted for as a separate contract in accordance with paragraph 606-10-25-12, an entity shall allocate the change in the transaction price to the performance obligations in the modified contract (that is, the performance obligations that were unsatisfied or partially unsatisfied immediately after the modification).
The example below, which is reproduced from ASC 606, illustrates this
concept.
ASC 606-10
Example 6 — Change in the Transaction Price After a Contract Modification
55-117 On July 1, 20X0, an entity promises to transfer two distinct products to a customer. Product X transfers to the customer at contract inception and Product Y transfers on March 31, 20X1. The consideration promised by the customer includes fixed consideration of $1,000 and variable consideration that is estimated to be $200. The entity includes its estimate of variable consideration in the transaction price because it concludes that it is probable that a significant reversal in cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty is resolved.
55-118 The transaction price of $1,200 is allocated equally to the performance obligation for Product X and the performance obligation for Product Y. This is because both products have the same standalone selling prices and the variable consideration does not meet the criteria in paragraph 606-10-32-40 that requires allocation of the variable consideration to one but not both of the performance obligations.
55-119 When Product X transfers to the customer at contract inception, the entity recognizes revenue of $600.
55-120 On November 30, 20X0, the scope of the contract is modified to include the promise to transfer Product Z (in addition to the undelivered Product Y) to the customer on June 30, 20X1, and the price of the contract is increased by $300 (fixed consideration), which does not represent the standalone selling price of Product Z. The standalone selling price of Product Z is the same as the standalone selling prices of Products X and Y.
55-121 The entity accounts for the modification as if it were the termination of the existing contract and the creation of a new contract. This is because the remaining Products Y and Z are distinct from Product X, which had transferred to the customer before the modification, and the promised consideration for the additional Product Z does not represent its standalone selling price. Consequently, in accordance with paragraph 606-10-25-13(a), the consideration to be allocated to the remaining performance obligations comprises the consideration that had been allocated to the performance obligation for Product Y (which is measured at an allocated transaction price amount of $600) and the consideration promised in the modification (fixed consideration of $300). The transaction price for the modified contract is $900, and that amount is allocated equally to the performance obligation for Product Y and the performance obligation for Product Z (that is, $450 is allocated to each performance obligation).
55-122 After the modification but before the delivery of Products Y and Z, the entity revises its estimate of the amount of variable consideration to which it expects to be entitled to $240 (rather than the previous estimate of $200). The entity concludes that the change in estimate of the variable consideration can be included in the transaction price because it is probable that a significant reversal in cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty is resolved. Even though the modification was accounted for as if it were the termination of the existing contract and the creation of a new contract in accordance with paragraph 606-10-25-13(a), the increase in the transaction price of $40 is attributable to variable consideration promised before the modification. Therefore, in accordance with paragraph 606-10-32-45, the change in the transaction price is allocated to the performance obligations for Product X and Product Y on the same basis as at contract inception. Consequently, the entity recognizes revenue of $20 for Product X in the period in which the change in the transaction price occurs. Because Product Y had not transferred to the customer before the contract modification, the change in the transaction price that is attributable to Product Y is allocated to the remaining performance obligations at the time of the contract modification. This is consistent with the accounting that would have been required by paragraph 606-10-25-13(a) if that amount of variable consideration had been estimated and included in the transaction price at the time of the contract modification.
55-123 The entity also allocates the $20 increase in the transaction price for the modified contract equally to the performance obligations for Product Y and Product Z. This is because the products have the same standalone selling prices and the variable consideration does not meet the criteria in paragraph 606-10-32-40 that require allocation of the variable consideration to one but not both of the performance obligations. Consequently, the amount of the transaction price allocated to the performance obligations for Product Y and Product Z increases by $10 to $460 each.
55-124 On March 31, 20X1, Product Y is transferred to the customer, and the entity recognizes revenue of $460. On June 30, 20X1, Product Z is transferred to the customer, and the entity recognizes revenue of $460.