Assets held for sale and discontinued operations
Non-current assets and current and non-current assets included within disposal groups, are classified as held for sale if their carrying amount will be recovered principally through a sale transaction rather than through their continuing use. For this to be the case, the sale must be highly probable and the asset or the disposal group must be available for immediate sale in its present condition. When there is a sale plan involving loss of control of a subsidiary, all the assets and liabilities of that subsidiary are classified as held for sale, regardless of whether a non-controlling interest in its former subsidiary will be retained after the sale. The classification of non-current assets (or disposal groups) as held for sale requires the management to perform subjective judgements based on assumptions deemed reasonable in consideration of the information available at the time.
Non-current assets held for sale, current and non-current assets included within disposal groups that have been classified as held for sale and the liabilities directly associated with them are recognized in the balance sheet separately from other assets and liabilities.
Immediately before the initial classification of a disposal group as held for sale, the assets and liabilities of the disposal group are measured in accordance with applicable IFRSs. Subsequently, non-current assets held for sale are not depreciated and they are measured at the lower of the fair value less costs to sell and their carrying amount. After the classification as held for sale of an equity-accounted investment, the investment, or the portion of the investment, that meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale, is no longer accounted for using the equity method; therefore, in this case, the carrying amount of the investment in accordance with the equity method represents the carrying amount for the measurement as non-current asset held for sale. Any retained portion of the equity-accounted investment that has not been classified as held for sale is accounted for using the equity method until disposal of the portion that is classified as held for sale takes place. After the disposal takes place, any retained investment is measured in accordance with the measurement criteria indicated in the accounting policy for “Non-current financial assets — Investments”, unless the retained interest continues to be an equity-accounted investment.
Any difference between the carrying amount of the non-current assets and the fair value less costs to sell is taken to the profit and loss account as an impairment loss; any subsequent reversal is recognized up to the cumulative impairment losses, including those recognized prior to qualification of the asset as held for sale. Non-current assets classified as held for sale and disposal groups, are considered a discontinued operation if, alternatively: (i) represent a separate major line of business or geographical area of operations; (ii) are part of a disposal program of a separate major line of business or geographical area of operations; or (iii) are a subsidiary acquired exclusively with a view to resale. The results of discontinued operations, as well as any gain or loss recognized on the disposal, are indicated in a separate line item of the profit and loss account, net of the related tax effects; the economic figures of discontinued operations are indicated also for prior periods presented in the financial statements.
If events or circumstances occur that no longer allow to classify a non-current asset or a disposal group as held for sale, the non-current asset or the disposal group is reclassified into the original line items of the balance sheet and measured at the lower of: (i) its carrying amount at the date of classification as held for sale adjusted for any depreciation, amortizations, impairment losses and reversals that would have been recognized had the asset or disposal group not been classified as held for sale, and (ii) its recoverable amount at the date of the subsequent decision not to sell. If the interruption of a plan of sale concerns a subsidiary, joint operation, joint venture, associate, or a portion of an interest in a joint venture or an associate, financial statements for the period since classification as held for sale are amended.
If a discontinued operation is reclassified as held for use, its results previously presented in the separate line item of the profit and loss account are reclassified and included in income from continuing operations for all periods presented.