Analyzing the Impact of IFRS 16 Lease Accounting Change on ROIC-WACC Spread: A Case Study of Noho Partners Oyj

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School of Business | Bachelor's thesis

Date

2023

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Mcode

Degree programme

Laskentatoimi

Language

en

Pages

24+5

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Abstract

Leasing is a common method that enables businesses to utilize expensive machinery and equipment for their operations without investing a significant amount of capital into them. For many years, accounting practices allowed companies to keep leases off their balance sheets, resulting in financing practices that were not transparent to external stakeholders. The implementation of IFRS 16, effective since 2019, addressed this issue by requiring all firms to recognize all leases on the balance sheet. This had significant implications for reported profits and balance sheet figures. This study aims to investigate the impact of IFRS 16, specifically the capitalization of leases, on a firm's Return on Invested Capital (ROIC), weighted average cost of capital (WACC), and the spread between them. The methodology employed in this thesis involves a case study of the Finnish food retail firm Noho Partners Oyj, focusing on the transition period from 2018 to 2019. Noho Partners is a compelling case study to delineate the effects of IFRS 16, as it operates in an industry that is particularly affected by the changes introduced by this accounting standard. The study revealed two key findings: an increase in profits, but a simultaneous decline in ROIC due to the rise in invested capital. Additionally, the firm's WACC experienced a noteworthy decrease, leading to an increase in the ROIC-WACC spread. Investors’ must know the underlying effects of IFRS 16 on ROIC and WACC, because otherwise they can go fault in determining firms’ operations have become less efficient and profitable.

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Thesis advisor

Pham, Ly

Keywords

ROIC, IFRS 16, IAS 17, WACC

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