Assessment

An enterprise should assess at each balance sheet date whether there is any indication that an asset may be impaired. If any such indication exists, the enterprise should estimate the recoverable amount of the asset. An asset is impaired when the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its recoverable amount. In assessing whether there is any indication that an asset may be impaired, an enterprise should consider, as a minimum, the following indications:

External sources of information

• During the period, an asset’s market value has declined significantly more than would be expected as a result of the passage of time or normal use.
• Significant changes with an adverse effect on the enterprise have taken place during the period, or will take place in the near future, in the technological, market, economic or legal environment in which the enterprise operates or in the market to which an asset is dedicated.
• Market interest rates or other market rates of return on investments have increased during the period, and those increases are likely to affect the discount rate used in calculating an asset’s value in use and decrease the asset’s recoverable amount materially.
• The carrying amount of the net assets of the reporting enterprise is more than its market capitalization.

Internal sources of information

• Evidence is available of obsolescence or physical damage of an asset. Significant changes with an adverse effect on the enterprise have taken place during the period, or are expected to take place in the near future, in the extent to which, or manner in which, an asset is used or is expected to be used. These changes include plans to discontinue or restructure the operation to which an asset belongs or to dispose of an asset before the previously expected date and
• Evidence is available from internal reporting that indicates that the economic performance of an asset is, or will be, worse than expected.
• The concept of materiality applies in identifying whether the recoverable amount of an asset needs to be estimated.

If there is an indication that an asset may be impaired, this may indicate that the remaining useful life, the depreciation method or the residual value for the asset need to be reviewed and adjusted under the Accounting Standard 6, even if no impairment loss is recognised for the asset.