Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1 (a) Performance
(i) The company has increased its revenues by 12% and its gross profit by 16% which in a competitive market is very
good (if not entirely credible) however, increased operating expenses have resulted in a reduction in operating profits of
20%.
(ii) The gross margin is very high; this is not abnormal in this sector, especially for software (although the margin is high
for hardware), but it may also be the result of errors, because the information has been produced very quickly. This is
also true of the other figures.
(iii) Total expenses as a percentage of revenue have increased substantially with the result that operating profit as a
percentage of revenue has reduced by around a third.
(iv) The increase in the selling expenses as a percentage of revenue may reflect the need for the company to spend more
on advertising.
(v) The increase in the distribution costs as a percentage of revenue may reflect inefficiencies in the method of distribution
in an industry that separates these functions.
(vi) The administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue have halved although they do not represent a significant amount
in absolute terms.
(vii) The reduction in operating profits has been partially offset by increased net interest receivable but profit before tax is still
down 10%.
(viii) The reduction in profit before tax and the increased tax charge have resulted in a reduction in profit after tax of over
40%.
(ix) Total dividends have been increased, despite the lower profits.
(x) The reduction in earnings per share is partly due to the reduction in profits but there is insufficient information to state
whether it is also attributable to an increase in the number of shares, although this seems likely.
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Interest receivable
(xi) I would ask for a breakdown of, and explanation for, the increase in net interest receivable. I would perform further
analytical procedures on the interest costs and income and ensure that these are in line with current interest rates and
the types of investments held by the company.
Taxation
(xii) It seems strange that the tax figure has increased so dramatically. I would ask for copies of the tax calculations for
detailed review, and to corroborate explanations provided by management.
Dividends and earnings per share
(xiii) I would enquire as to why dividends had increased, despite the lower profits, and establish whether this trend can be
maintained in the face of falling profits. I would also enquire as to whether the company has any plans to restructure in
line with trends in the industry, what the company intends to do about the competition, and whether there is any
possibility of a take-over.
(xiv) I would establish whether there had been any share issue during the year that had affected the calculation of the
earnings per share and, if there had been, what was the purpose of the share issue.
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(c) Weaknesses in counting instructions – why they are difficult to overcome
The date of the count may be inappropriate – These problems are difficult to overcome
staff (and auditors) will not wish to work because the shop and warehouse are open
on a public holiday and given that there seven days a week and because it is
is a high level of staff turnover, there is a expensive and difficult to obtain others (who
possibility that staff will not arrive or will may not be appropriately experienced) to
complete the work too quickly without perform the count.
properly counting the inventory. This is It might be suggested that the count be
compounded by the fact that staff are conducted, say, a week before or a week later
working individually and may make errors and that a roll-forward or roll-back be
or attempt to cover up misappropriations. performed, but this will cause additional
There may be insufficient time allowed to staffing problems and problems with the
prepare the inventory for counting and it is movement of inventory. It may be difficult for
likely that the shop and warehouse will be the company to change its year-end because
untidy because the business has been busy. of local regulations. Some of the managers
might be asked to come and help.
Too much responsibility is in the hands of This is difficult to overcome because family
Mr Sneg (a lack of segregation of duties). owned companies, (even large ones) often
He is responsible for the assets (the place a substantial amount of trust in valued
inventory), the records, the staff and the employees who would be offended if it were
adjustments to the records. suggested that it were necessary to ‘check’
their work in some way.
It may be necessary for Mr Sneg to be
involved with the count but he should be
responsible together with another
representative of management who is not
involved with the day-to-day control of
inventory (such as the finance director). It
will be too easy for Mr Sneg to hide errors or
falsifications in the inventory records to cover
up errors or misappropriations.
It would be particularly easy for him to falsify
records in relation to, for example, inventory
in stock but already sold and inventory
delivered but not yet paid for.
The add-back of inventory delivered but not
yet paid for appears to be wrong, as a matter
of principle, even if the related invoices are
removed from the revenue accounts.
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(b) Main requirements of IAS 37
IAS 37 Application
IAS 37 states that a provision is a liability of If the firm can obtain sufficient appropriate
uncertain timing or amount. It should only be audit evidence to show that Tourex and/or
recognised when there is a present obligation Pudco are likely to have to make a payment,
(legal or constructive) arising from past and that the amount can be reliably
events and it is probable that a transfer of estimated, a constructive obligation seems to
economic benefits will be required to settle exist and provision should be made.
the obligation and a reliable estimate of the
amount can be made.
IAS 37 states that a contingent liability is If Tourex and/or Pudco are uncertain as to
either a possible obligation arising from past whether a payment will have to be made, or
events whose existence will be confirmed by if they are certain but the amount cannot be
uncertain future events outside the control of estimated, a contingent liability should be
the entity or, a present obligation arising from disclosed in the accounts.
past events that is not recognised because a
transfer of economic benefits is not probable,
or because the amount of the obligation
cannot be measured with sufficient certainty.
IAS 37 states that a contingent asset is a This might apply to Tourex in its claim
possible asset arising from past events whose against the food company. It seems unlikely
existence will be confirmed by uncertain that there is sufficient certainty relating to the
future events ouside the control of the entity. claim and therefore no disclosure should be
Contingent assets should only be disclosed made.
where an inflow of economic benefits is
probable. If they are virtually certain, a
contingency does not exist at all and the
income may be accrued.
It also states that expected re-imbursements If either Tourex or Pudco hold insurance
(such as those arising from insurance against such events, and it is probable that
contracts) should be recognised only where the insurance claim will be met, a contingent
they are virtually certain and treated as asset may need to be disclosed. If there is
separate assets. The net expense may be any uncertainty, there should be no
recognised in the income statement. disclosure. If it is virtually certain that the
claim will be met, a separate asset should be
recognised.
A brief description of the nature of each class
of contingent liability should be made unless
the possibility of the transfer of benefits is
remote. Where practical, an estimate of the
financial effect, an indication of the relevant
uncertainties, and the possibility of any
reimbursement should be disclosed. Similar
provisions apply to contingent assets.
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4 (a) Reliance on work of internal auditors
(i) As requested, the external auditors will seek to rely on the work of internal audit to the maximum extent possible. This
might cover planning, risk assessment, tests of controls and substantive testing.
(ii) In all cases, the external auditor should be aware that the purpose of internal audit’s work will not be primarily directed
towards the financial statements.
(iii) In relation to the cyclical audit of internal controls, it may be possible to rely on the work of internal audit in relation to
all of the areas noted, but only if the internal controls audited affect the financial statements. It may be that internal
audit’s work on operations and customer support is less relevant than its work in other areas.
(iv) In relation to the four-year review of internal controls – the extent of reliance will depend on how long ago the last review
was conducted. If it was conducted recently, it will provide help in relation to the external auditor’s assessment of the
accounting and internal control systems.
(v) In relation to risk management – the relevance of internal audit work depends on the extent to which risks in relation to
reporting in general, and the financial statements in particular, have been addressed separately by management. This
work will be relevant to the external auditor’s risk assessment and planning.
(c) Circumstances in which it would not be possible to rely on the work of internal audit
(i) It may not be possible to rely on the work of internal auditors if they:
– are not competent (this relates to experience as well as qualifications);
– lack integrity;
– do not properly plan or document their work, or if management does not act on (or at least respond to)
recommendations made;
– do not perform work relevant to the external auditor.
(ii) It will also not be possible to rely on internal audit if internal audit is insufficiently independent within the organisation,
i.e. where internal auditors have insufficient operational freedom, where they are reporting to those who control the
functions that they work on, or where they are reporting on their own work.
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5 (a) Information in internal audit reports
(i) Cover page: this normally deals with the subject matter, the distribution list, date, and authors.
(ii) Executive summary: this normally includes an introduction, summary terms of reference, outcome of the work, key risks
identified, key action points/recommendations, further work required.
(iii) Main report contents: this normally includes findings and action points or recommendations (including alternatives), it
gives details of responsibility for actioning the points, costs and time-scales.
(iv) Appendices: these may contain the full terms of reference, tables, questionnaires used, tests performed and any other
relevant information.
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(ii) Controls contributing to the prevention of fraud and error, and the completeness and accuracy of the accounting records
would include the following;
– the preparation and monitoring of capital expenditure budgets together with authorisation of capital expenditure,
disposals and depreciation rates by independent persons at an appropriate level within the organisation who do
not have day-to-day responsibility for the related records or assets;
– the maintenance of an asset register that is reconciled to the general ledger and the assets themselves;
– the periodic checking and review of asset lives, and fully depreciated assets, to ensure that assets are being
depreciated correctly, over an appropriate period of time.
(b) Description
(i) Judgement and statistical sampling
Judgement sampling uses the auditor’s judgement to select the number of items to be tested, which items to be tested,
and to interpret the results. Statistical sampling uses probability theory to do the same. Some judgement is always used
in statistical sampling in the assessment of materiality and in the determination of what constitutes tolerable error, for
example.
(ii) Representative sample
A representative sample is one whose characteristics are the same as, or similar to, the characteristics of the population
as a whole. All sample selection methods attempt to select samples that are representative.
For example, a sample of invoices that have not been properly authorised in 5% of cases will be representative of all
invoices if the population as a whole also has around 5% of invoices not authorised.
(iii) Tolerable error
Tolerable error is the maximum error that the auditor is prepared to accept and still conclude that the audit objective has
been achieved.
For example, in relation to receivables, the auditor may be prepared to form the conclusion that receivables are not
materially misstated if sampling shows that the receivables population has a value that is within plus or minus, say, 5%
of the figure in the financial statements.
(iv) Different methods of sample selection
Random selection requires the use of random number tables in order to select a representative sample.
Haphazard selection may be deemed to approximate to random selection provided that no bias is displayed.
Interval (or systematic) selection involves taking every nth item, starting at random. Monetary unit sampling is also a
form of systematic selection.
Block selection methods (taking one full part of the population) will probably not result in a representative selection.
Block selection might involve obtaining confirmation of receivables from one region of the country only, for example.
NB: Only two examples are required.
(v) Extrapolation of errors
Errors found in a sample are extrapolated across the population as a whole, in order to enable the auditor to form a
conclusion on whether the population is materially misstated. It is important to remember that there is not necessarily
a direct, linear relationship between errors in samples and errors in the populations from which they are drawn.
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Part 2 Examination – Paper 2.6(INT)
Audit and Internal Review (International Stream) June 2003 Marking Scheme
Marks
1 (a) Performance
Up to 1 mark per point to a maximum of 8
(c) Circumstances in which it would not be possible to rely on the work of internal audit
Up to 2 marks per point to a maximum of 4
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Marks
5 (a) Information in internal audit reports
Up to 1 mark per point to a maximum of 4
(b) Description
Up to 2 marks per point to a maximum of 10
(NB: not more than two marks per item) ____
Total 20
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