Investments and other financial assets
Initial recognition and measurement
Financial assets are classified, at initial recognition, as financial assets at fair value through profit or loss, loans and receivables and available-for-sale financial investments, or as derivatives designated as hedging instruments in an effective hedge, as appropriate. When financial assets are recognized initially, they are measured at fair value plus transaction costs that are attributable to the acquisition of the financial assets, except in the case of financial assets recorded at fair value through profit or loss.
All regular way purchases and sales of financial assets are recognized on the trade date, that is, the date that the Group commits to purchase or sell the asset. Regular way purchases or sales are purchases or sales of financial assets that require delivery of assets within the period generally established by regulation or convention in the marketplace.
Subsequent measurement
The subsequent measurement of financial assets depends on their classification as follows:
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss include financial assets held for trading and financial assets designated upon initial recognition as at fair value through profit or loss. Financial assets are classified as held for trading if they are acquired for the purpose of sale in the near term. Derivatives, including separated embedded derivatives, are also classified as held for trading unless they are designated as effective hedging instruments as defined by IAS 39.
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss are carried in the statement of financial position at fair value with positive net changes in fair value presented as other income and gains and negative net changes in fair value presented as finance costs in profit or loss. These net fair value changes do not include any dividends or interest earned on these financial assets, which are recognized in accordance with the policies set out for “Revenue recognition and sales in advance of carriage” above.
Financial assets designated upon initial recognition as at fair value through profit or loss are designated at the date of initial recognition and only if the criteria in IAS 39 are satisfied.
Derivatives embedded in host contracts are accounted for as separate derivatives and recorded at fair value if their economic characteristics and risks are not closely related to those of the host contracts and the host contracts are not held for trading or designated as at fair value through profit or loss. These embedded derivatives are measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in profit or loss. Reassessment only occurs if there is either a change in the terms of the contract that significantly modifies the cash flows that would otherwise be required or a reclassification of a financial asset out of the fair value through profit or loss category.
Loans and receivables
Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market. After initial measurement, such assets are subsequently measured at amortized cost using the effective interest rate method less any allowance for impairment. Amortized cost is calculated by taking into account any discount or premium on acquisition and includes fees or costs that are an integral part of the effective interest rate. The effective interest rate amortization is included in other operating income and gains in profit or loss. The loss arising from impairment is recognized in profit or loss in finance costs for loans and in impairment charges for receivables.
Available-for-sale financial investments
Available-for-sale financial investments are non-derivative financial assets in listed and unlisted equity investments and debt securities. Equity investments classified as available for sale are those which are neither classified as held for trading nor designated as at fair value through profit or loss. Debt securities in this category are those which are intended to be held for an indefinite period of time and which may be sold in response to needs for liquidity or in response to changes in market conditions.
After initial recognition, available-for-sale financial investments are subsequently measured at fair value, with unrealized gains or losses recognized as other comprehensive income in the other reserves until the investment is derecognized, at which time the cumulative gain or loss is recognized in profit or loss in other operating income, or until the investment is determined to be impaired, when the cumulative gain or loss is reclassified from the other reserves to profit or loss in other gains or losses. Interest and dividends earned whilst holding the available-for-sale financial investments are reported as finance income and dividend income, respectively and are recognized in profit or loss as other operating income in accordance with the policies set out for “Revenue recognition and sales in advance of carriage” above.
When the fair value of unlisted equity investments cannot be reliably measured because (a) the variability in the range of reasonable fair value estimates is significant for that investment or (b) the probabilities of the various estimates within the range cannot be reasonably assessed and used in estimating fair value, such investments are stated at cost less any impairment losses.
The Group evaluates whether the ability and intention to sell its available-for-sale financial assets in the near term are still appropriate. When, in rare circumstances, the Group is unable to trade these financial assets due to inactive markets, the Group may elect to reclassify these financial assets if management has the ability and intention to hold the assets for the foreseeable future or until maturity.
For a financial asset reclassified from the available-for-sale category, the fair value carrying amount at the date of reclassification becomes its new amortized cost and any previous gain or loss on that asset that has been recognized in equity is amortized to profit or loss over the remaining life of the investment using the effective interest rate. Any difference between the new amortized cost and the maturity amount is also amortized over the remaining life of the asset using the effective interest rate. If the asset is subsequently determined to be impaired, then the amount recorded in equity is reclassified to profit or loss.