ED 8 Operating Segments

ED 8 Operating Segments would require an entity to adopt the ‘management approach’ to reporting on the financial performance of its operating segments. Generally, the information to be reported would be what management uses internally for evaluating segment performance and deciding how to allocate resources to operating segments. Such information may be different from what is used to prepare the income statement and balance sheet. The proposals would therefore require explanations of the basis on which the segment information is prepared and reconciliations to the amounts recognised in the income statement and balance sheet.

The IASB believes that adopting the management approach would improve financial reporting. First, it allows users of financial statements to review the operations through the eyes of management. Secondly, because the information is already used internally by management, there are few costs for preparers and the information is available on a timely basis. This means that interim reporting of segment information can be extended beyond the current requirements.

Introducing the Exposure Draft, Sir David Tweedie, IASB Chairman, said:

The proposals in ED 8 continue our work to eliminate major differences between IFRSs and US GAAP and to improve financial reporting. In these proposals we have adopted the management approach to segment reporting set out in SFAS 131. We believe that the proposals offer benefits to users of financial statements by enabling them to see an entity through the eyes of management and to entities by enabling them to provide timely segment information at little extra cost.

The IASB invites comments on the Exposure Draft by 19 May 2006.