REPORTING INTERCORPORATE INVESTMENTS AND CONSOLIDATION OF WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARIES WITH NO DIFFERENTIAL
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
Q2-1 (a) An investment in the voting common stock of another company is reported on an equity-method basis when the investor is able to significantly influence the operating and financial policies of the investee.
(b) The cost method normally is used for investments in common stock when the investor does not have significant influence and for investments in preferred stock and other securities. The cost method may also be used by the parent company for bookkeeping purposes when the investor owns a controlling interest because the investment account is eliminated in the consolidation process.
Q2-2* Significant influence occurs when the investor has the ability to influence the operating and financial policies of the investee. Representation on the board of directors of the investee is perhaps the strongest evidence, but other evidence such as routine participation in management decisions or entering into formal agreements that give the investor some degree of influence over the investee also may be used.
Q2-3* Equity-method reporting should not be used when (a) the investee has initiated litigation or complaints challenging the investor's ability to exercise significant influence, (b) the investor signs an agreement surrendering important shareholder rights, (c) majority ownership is concentrated in a small group that operates the company without regard to the investor's desires, (d) the investor is not able to acquire the information from the investee, or (e) the investor tries and fails to gain representation on the board of directors.
Q2-4 The balances will be the same at the date of acquisition and in the periods that follow whenever the cumulative dividends paid by the investee equal or exceed the investee's cumulative earnings since the date of acquisition. The latter case assumes there are no other