Auditing – Case Studies Chapter 4 Auditor’s Report & Types of Opinions
Solution:
Mercury Ltd:
As per IAS – 37, if a regulatory action is pending against company at year end, and amount of obligation is
uncertain, it should be disclosed as contingency.
If disclosure in financial statements is adequate, there is no misstatement. Auditor shall express unmodified
opinion on financial statements. However, auditor shall i nclude Emphasis of Matter Paragraph in his report
(immediately after opinion paragraph) which shall:
o State this matter which is fundamental for users’ understanding of financial statements.
o Refer to the note in financial statements where full disclosure is available.
o State that auditor’s opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.
If disclosure in financial statements is not adequate, there is misstatement. Auditor shall express qualified
opinion on financial statements (if effect is material) or adverse opinion (if effect is pervasive). Auditor shall
also include Basis for Qualified/Adverse Opinion paragraph immediately before opinion paragraph in his
report to describe nature of misstatement.
Pluto Ltd:
This is a scope limitation on audit.
Effect is material as amount of scope limitation 180,000 is greater than materiality level determined
using rule of thumb 32,500 (650,000 * 5%).
Auditor shall express Qualified Opinion on financial statements.
Auditor shall also include a "Basis for Qualified Opinion Paragraph" (immediately before opinion
paragraph) to describe the nature of scope limitation.
Auditor shall also qualify his opinion, as required by Form 35A, by stating that proper books of accounts have not been kept in respect of this matter.
Jupiter Ltd:
As per IAS – 10, subsequent bankruptcy of debtor and reduction of NRV below cost after the year-end are
adjusting events. If provision is not recorded for unrecoverable debt, or write-down of inventory below cost
is not recorded, these will be misstatements in financial statements.
Amount of misstatement of debtor 242,000 is less than materiality level 250,000, therefore it is individually
immaterial. Amount of misstatement of inventory 80,000 (Cost 520,000 – NRV 440,000 i.e. 700,000 –
260,000) is less than materiality level 250,000, therefore it is also individually immaterial. However, when
aggregated, these amounts become material (322,000 = 242,000 + 80,000) .
Auditor shall express Qualified Opinion on financial statements. Auditor shall also include Basis for Qualified
Opinion paragraph immediately before opinion paragraph in his report to describe nature of misstatements.
Examiners’ Comments:
Weaker candidates were unable to distinguish between the two grounds for qualification ie disagreement and
limitation in scope. The most common omission was the failure to appreciate that, in the case of Pluto Ltd, there
would be a requirement to consider whether proper accounting records had been maintained. The most common
misunderstanding was that, in the case of Jupiter Ltd, although the amount owed by the customer in liquidator
ship and the amount needed to reduce stock to its NRV were individually immaterial when aggregated they were
material.
7 By Muhammad Asif, ACA