Question Tag: Auditor's Opinion

As the Audit Manager for Grep & Co., you are currently overseeing the audit of Kellwin Ltd., a company operating in the food processing industry. The audit for the financial year ended 31 October 2023 is nearing completion. However, several issues have been brought to your attention by the audit team, requiring your review and further action.

a) Goodwill Impairment
Kellwin Ltd. acquired a subsidiary, Fresh Foods Plc, on 1 November 2021. The purchase consideration for the acquisition was GH¢18 million. The goodwill arising on the acquisition was recognized at GH¢3 million in Kellwin Ltd.’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 October 2022. The directors have conducted an impairment review of goodwill and have concluded that no impairment is necessary, with the carrying amount of goodwill remaining at GH¢3 million as at 31 October 2023. The directors have explained that the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit (CGU) to which the goodwill has been allocated exceeds the carrying amount. (8 marks)

b) Accounting Policies
During the audit, it was identified that Kellwin Ltd. changed its accounting policy for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers. Previously, revenue was recognized when goods were delivered to customers. However, from 1 January 2023, the company started recognizing revenue when the goods were dispatched from the warehouse. This change was applied retrospectively, and the comparative figures in the financial statements were restated. The impact of this change is an increase in revenue by GH¢1.5 million for the year ended 31 October 2023. The directors have justified the change by stating that it provides more relevant information to users of the financial statements. (6 marks)

c) Auditor’s Opinion and Going Concern
Kellwin Ltd. has experienced significant financial difficulties during the year due to adverse economic conditions. As a result, the company has incurred a net loss of GH¢2 million and has breached its loan covenants. The directors have initiated discussions with the company’s bank to secure a waiver of the covenant breaches and to obtain additional funding. The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, and the directors are confident that they will secure the necessary funding. However, the negotiations with the bank are still ongoing, and there is significant uncertainty regarding the company’s ability to continue as a going concern. (6 marks)

Required:
i) Assess the risk of material misstatement in relation to each of the issues described above.
ii) For each issue, state the audit procedures that should be performed to address the risks identified.