I just did some research on the Touchwood Case. It looks like decision will be favorable to company. (This is not a promotion, just merely to getting your views. To be honest I do not have TWOD shares at the moment.)
We all know about the case related to the valuation of biological assets. I extracted some facts from SLAASMB website of case information to start from beginning.
The Sri Lanka Accounting and Auditing Standards Monitoring Board has determined that the estimates of fair value of biological assets used by Touchwood Investments Limited in its financial statements for the years ended 31 March 2005 and 31 March 2006 are clearly unreliable. The Company has also not been able to provide the Board with any other estimates which are reliable. Further, the method of valuation used for the year ended 31 March 2005 was not in accordance with International Accounting Standard, IAS 41 Agriculture, which the company has purportedly adopted.
As the company has purportedly adopted International Accounting Standard, IAS 41 Agriculture, the Board has concluded that the biological assets should have been valued at a value which approximates cost in accordance with paragraph 24 (b) of IAS 41 or at cost less accumulated impairment in accordance with paragraph 30 of IAS 41. Based on such valuation the company would not show a net profit for the relevant financial periods.
As the impact on the financial statements is substantial the Board has decided to refer the non-compliance to the Attorney General. The Board has also decided to investigate the compliance with auditing standards by the auditors in relation to the audit of the financial statements of the Company.
Based on the above information I can see in the absence of Sri Lanka Accounting Standards, company uses International Accounting Standards 41, Agriculture for the valuation of biological assets. But SLAASMB argument is that estimates of fair value of the biological assets in not accordance with IAS 41 and the financial statements are unreliable.
Further I have received BASL News Letter (Bar Association) of December 2010, there talked about some legal judgment (I attached the newsletter in our research forum http://research.srilankaequity.com/t96-touchwood-case-basl-bar-association-news-letter-judgement-views , refer page 4 for the Touchwood case). There they briefed about the case and given their views. Based on that, Board had not statutory power to challenge the valuation of the Petitioner on non compliance with IAS 41.
Further company received the Certificate of Compliance by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka for the Annual Report Awards 2010. This certificates covers the CSR, Financial, Presentation and Compliance. Therefore, this reveals that the company practice in valuing biological assets in accordance with IAS 41 as the certificated awarded by ICASL which is the statutory for setting the Accounting Standards
Followings extract from Touchwood website
Certificate Of Compliance
January 24th 2011
We are proud to announce that our Sri Lankan office, Touchwood Investments PLC has been awarded the “CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE” by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka for the Annual Report Awards 2010 - at the ceremony held on 7th December 2010.
This award is granted by the Inst. of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka every year. They evaluate and grant awards in key areas such as - CSR, Financials, presentation, compliance, etc.
This certificate emphasizes that all requirements are being met in order for us to achieve our goals and serve our investors with industry leading standards.
For the year to come Touchwood Investments PLC has its goals set on the CSR awards to be handed out in the 2011 ceremony.
Thank you to all our accounting and administration staff who made the award possible.
http://www.touchwood.com/news/certificate-compliance
So Guys, Based on the above information and facts, to me the decision would be favorable to company. How do you all look into that..
Pls Share ur thoughts and views