Impairment Loss
Fairfield Inc. invested in a plant to manufacture j phones, thinking these would be the next “big thing” and compete with the current maker of the iPhone. Unfortunately, things did not work out so well for the j phone. Complete the following steps to determine if Fairfield will need to record an impairment loss in the current period.
a. Fairfield purchased the plant on March 1, 20X2, for $46,790,000. Additional costs to get it up and running were $3,780,000. Fairfield assigned a thirty-year useful life and residual value of $4,000,000 and used double-declining balance to depreciate the plant. Record the acquisition of the plant and depreciation for three years, assuming that Fairfield does not use the half-year convention.
b. On December 31, 20X4, Fairfield’s auditors raise concerns that the plant’s market value might be below its book value due to the failure of the j phone. They believe this decline is permanent and decide to test for impairment. The accountants and auditors agree that the plant will generate net cash flows of approximately $2,000,000 each year for the next fifteen years. Perform a test of recoverability on the plant.
c. Assume that you determined that the plant’s future cash flows were below its book value. The company must now perform the fair value test. Several appraisers are called in, and the average fair value they give the plant is $15,600,000. Determine if Fairfield must record an impairment loss and, if so, make the journal entry to do so.
