CFSL - Annual report 2018

81 CIM FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD ANNUAL REPORT 2018 EXPLANATORY NOTES 30 SEPTEMBER 2018 2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONT’D) 2.6 Significant accounting policies (Cont’d) (q) Impairment of financial assets (i) Financial assets carried at amortised cost, leases and other credit agreements The Group assesses at each reporting date whether there is any objective evidence that a financial asset or a group of financial assets is impaired. A financial asset, or a group of financial assets, is deemed to be impaired if, and only if, there is objective evidence of impairment as a result of one or more events that have occurred after the initial recognition of the asset (an incurred loss event) and that loss event (or events) has an impact on the estimated future cash flows of the financial asset or the group of financial assets that can be reliably estimated. Evidence of impairment may include: indications that the borrower or a group of borrowers is experiencing significant financial difficulty; the probability that they will enter bankruptcy or other financial reorganisation; default or delinquency in interest or principal payments; and where observable data indicates that there is a measurable decrease in the estimated future cash flows, such as changes in arrears or economic conditions that correlate with defaults. For financial assets carried at amortised cost, the Group first assesses whether impairment exists individually for financial assets that are individually significant, or collectively for financial assets that are not individually significant. If the Group determines that no objective evidence of impairment exists for an individually assessed financial asset, whether significant or not, it includes the asset in a group of financial assets with similar credit risk characteristics and collectively assesses them for impairment. Assets that are individually assessed for impairment and for which an impairment loss is, or continues to be, recognised are not included in a collective assessment of impairment. The amount of any impairment loss identified is measured as the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the present value of estimated future cash flows (excluding future expected credit losses that have not yet been incurred). The present value of the estimated future cash flows is discounted at the financial asset’s original EIR. The carrying amount of the asset is reduced through the use of an allowance account and the loss is recognised in the statement of profit or loss. Interest income (recorded as finance income in the Statement of Profit or Loss) continues to be accrued on the reduced carrying amount using the rate of interest used to discount the future cash flows for the purpose of measuring the impairment loss. Loans, together with the associated allowance, are written off when there is no realistic prospect of future recovery and all collateral has been realised or has been transferred to the Group. If, in a subsequent year, the amount of the estimated impairment loss increases or decreases because of an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the previously recognised impairment loss is increased or reduced by adjusting the allowance account. If a write-off is later recovered, the recovery is credited to profit or loss. The Group’s impairment loss provision is established to recognise incurred impairment losses either on specific assets or within a portfolio of financial assets. Individually impaired financial assets are those against which individual impairment provisions have been raised. Portfolio impairment provision covers the inherent losses in the portfolio that exist at the reporting date, but have not been individually identified. (ii) Available for sale investments For available for sale financial investments, the Group assesses at each reporting date whether there is objective evidence that an investment is impaired. In the case of equity investments classified as available for sale, objective evidence would include a significant or prolonged decline in the fair value of the investment below its cost. ‘Significant’ is evaluated against the original cost of the investment and ‘prolonged’ against the period in which the fair value has been below its original cost. When there is evidence of impairment, the cumulative loss – measured as the difference between the acquisition cost and the current fair value, less any impairment loss on that investment previously recognised in profit or loss – is removed from other comprehensive income and recognised in the Statement of Profit or Loss. Impairment losses on equity investments are not reversed through profit or loss; increases in their fair value after impairment are recognised in other comprehensive income. The determination of what is ‘significant’ or ‘prolonged’ requires judgement. In making this judgement, the Group evaluates, among other factors, the duration or extent to which the fair value of an investment is less than its cost.