Impracticable
Understandably, it is impracticable for an issuer to provide the comparative disclosure required by paragraph 6(1)(f) or 8(d) of the Instrument when the current period is the first period of operations and no comparative period exists. However, when a comparative period exists, we do not consider the cost or the time involved in preparing the comparative information to be sufficient rationale for an issuer to assert that it is impracticable to disclose such information.
Changes in Accounting Standards
We would not consider adoption of a new accounting standard, which would include adoption of amendments to current accounting standards, or a change in accounting policy, to be a basis for not presenting comparative period disclosure, as the composition of the non-GAAP financial measure should continue to be the same.
Adoption of new accounting standards, or changes in accounting policy, may modify measurement and recognition of transactions which will have an impact on line items, subtotals and totals over different financial periods. However, the composition of the non-GAAP financial measure itself should not change. Consider, for example, an issuer that discloses EBITDA as its non-GAAP financial measure, and in the current year adopts a new accounting standard which modifies the classification of certain expenditures from administrative expense to interest expense. While the resulting EBITDA measure will no longer include those transactions, EBITDA will continue to have the same composition, as it will comprise earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Therefore, the issuer would not be subject to the explanation of the reason for the change disclosure under clause 6(1)(e)(ii)(D).
The financial reporting framework used to prepare an entity’s financial statements would determine whether comparative information is restated with adoption of a new accounting standard or change in accounting policy. For example, we expect comparative non-GAAP financial measures to be restated when a new accounting standard or policy is applied retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented. Conversely, if a new accounting standard is applied prospectively or retrospectively without restatement of a prior reporting period presented, the specified financial measures would also not be restated. In such circumstances, the issuer communicates that the comparative non-GAAP financial measures are disclosed under the previous financial reporting framework used to prepare the entity’s financial statements.
In both cases, the composition of the specified financial measure has not changed, and the explanation of the reason for the change disclosure under clause 6(1)(e)(ii)(D) would not be required.