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17-4 Solutions Manual to accompany Intermediate Accounting, Volume 2, 7
th
edition
WTL must recognize revenue when the cruise obligation is satisfied, not when cash is
received. This change must be accounted for retrospectively (see #7). This will
increase revenue by $150,000 and net income by $90,000 on 20X3.
2.Expense recognition
Certain advertising expenditures will benefit future periods, but are currently
expensed. Any intangible asset created by the advertising is not severable from WTL,
and thus cannot be recognized. The current accounting policy of expensing
advertising amounts is the appropriate policy.
Reduced rate cruises provided to travel agents from un-sold packages are not
recognized, except to the extent of the amount charged to these individuals. Some
might argue that revenue and promotion expense should both be increased to full fair
value of a cruise trip to reflect the economic activity of WTC for the period. However,
when there is a non-monetary exchange, the fair value of what is given up – the cruise
trip – must be considered. The value of this would appear to be the marginal cost of
food and beverages, since the opportunity cost for the forgone cruise rate is zero.
Accordingly, the current policy of recognizing only the marginal revenue (which
covers the marginal cost) appears to be appropriate.
3.Redecoration costs
Redecoration is an improvement to the ship that is indirectly associated with cash
flows from revenue with customers. These costs should be capitalized and depreciated
over their useful lives (3 or 5 years). This policy should reassure creditors by creating
larger asset balances, smoothing income, and demonstrating WTL’s careful attention
to their physical facilities. The change must be made retrospectively (see #7).
The change to 20X3 earnings is an increase in expense of $210,000 ($910,000 -
$700,000) which means that net income after tax changes by $126,000.
Room renovation: prior 4 years
($400,000 x 4/5) + 20X3, ($700,000 x 1/5) = $460,000
Common areas: 20X1, ($600,000 x 1/3) + 20X2, ($750,000 x 1/3) = 450,000
$910,000
4.Storm damage - unusual gain
The unusual gain from insurance claim after the storm damage to a WTL ship has
been classified with revenues. More appropriate presentation would be to report this
gain separately from the results from operations, as is done with interest. The
company would report a marginal operating loss of $42,800 ($1,097,200 -
$1,140,000). While this would highlight continuing operating losses to creditors, the
amount of operating losses is readily ascertainable from the income statement as
presented. The operating loss is marginal, and certainly less than the reported “severe”
operating losses of prior years. The existing treatment might be viewed as an attempt
to hide the operating results.