ACCOUNTING FOR BUSINESS

AND MANAGEMENT
WEEK 4
VALUATION (STOCK/INVENTORY)

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Examine different stock valuation policies and the

importance of valuing stock in hand.

Figure out the changes in Statement of Comprehensive

Income and Statement of Financial Position arising from
usage of different valuation methods.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES

Explain and examine different stock valuation

policies.

Examine the valuation impacts on Statement of

Comprehensive

Income

and

Statement

of

Financial Position.

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Cost of Goods Sold and Its Determination

A trading firm is a business entity that purchases goods

for resale to its customers with the intent of earning a
profit.
The process of holding stock is to avoid a situation
where the business has no goods for sale when
customers want to buy them and thereby losing its
customers.
An accounting system for a trading business must
record, retain and report information about the
purchases and sales of its goods.

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Two Methods (1) Cost of Goods Sold

using Perpetual Stock System

Used by firms selling goods that have a high individual

unit value such motor vehicles, furniture and electrical
appliances.
It is a relatively easy task to maintain records of the cost
of each unit of goods and in this way determine the cost
of each unit sold.
The goods for resale records are designed and
maintained in such a way as to provide close control
over the actual goods on hand by showing exactly what
goods should be on hand.

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Two Methods (2) Cost of Goods Sold

using Periodic Stock System

Firms dealing in goods for resale that have a low value

per unit such as in a stationery business which has
numerous similar items, often finds that the extra cost of
record keeping under the perpetual system more than
outweighs the benefits derived.
Close control of such items is not necessary nor is it
economically sound. For these firms, the periodic stock
system should be used.

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Two Methods (2) Cost of Goods Sold

using Periodic Stock System

Under the periodic stock system the stock account is not

adjusted after each purchase or sale.
Adjustment is made only at the end of the accounting
period when preparing the Trading Account. At the end
of the accounting period, when the physical count of
stock in hand is taken, there is no account balance
against which the physical count can be checked. The
stock account does not show the cost of goods that
should be on hand.
Under this system, no attempt is made to determine the
cost of goods sold for each sale at the time of the sale.

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Two Methods (2) Cost of Goods Sold

using Periodic Stock System

Instead, the cost of goods sold for all of the sales in a

period is determined at the end of the period. To do this
requires knowledge of the following:
the cost of goods on hand at the beginning of the
period (opening or beginning stock),
the cost of goods purchased during the period
(purchases), and
the cost of unsold goods on hand at the end of the
period (closing or ending stock).

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Two Methods (2) Cost of Goods Sold

using Periodic Stock System

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Valuation of Stocks/Inventory

Business has bought goods at different prices.

Therefore, the stock valuation will therefore be based on
an accounting custom.
The three main methods of doing this are now shown.
First In, First Out (FIFO)
Last In, First Out (LIFO)
Average Cost
Other method:
Net realisable value

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First In, First Out (FIFO)

This method says that the first goods to be received are

the first to be issued. The closing figure of stock can be
calculated as follows:

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Last In, First Out (LIFO)

As each issue of goods is made they are said to be from

last lot of goods received before that date. Where there
is not enough left of the last of goods, then the balance
of goods needed is said to come from the previous lot
still unsold.

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Average Cost (AVCO)

With each receipt or goods, the average cost for each

item of stock is recalculated.
Further issues of goods are then at that figure, until
another receipt of goods means that another
recalculation is needed.

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Average Cost (AVCO)

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Net Realisable Value

In ensuring that stock is not overvalued or undervalued,

net realisable value is calculated. The net realisable
value of stock is calculated as follows:
Net realisable value = Saleable value (Selling value) Expenses needed before completion of sale (cost of
delivery to the sellers shops)
If the net realisable value of stock is less than the cost of
the stock, then the figure to be taken for the final
accounts is that of net realisable value.

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Net Realisable Value

Assume that an art dealer has bought only two paintings

during the financial year ended 31 December 20X7. He
starts off the year without any stock, and then buys a
genuine masterpiece for RM6, 000, selling this later in
the year for RM11, 500.
The other is a fake, but he does not realise this when he
buys it for RM5, 100, only to discover during the year
that in fact he had made a terrible mistake and that the
net realisable value is RM100. The fake remains unsold
at the end of the year. The trading accounts would
appear as below (a) if stock is valued at cost, and (b) if
stock is valued at net realisable value.

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Net Realisable Value

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Net Realisable Value

Method (a) ignores the fact that the dealer had a bad
trading year owing to his skill being found wanting in
20X7.
If this method was used, then the loss on the fake would
reveal itself in the following year's trading account.
Method (b), however, realises that the loss really
occurred at the date of purchase rather than at the date
of sale.
Following the concept of prudence accounting practice
chooses method (b). At one time the terminology was
`lower of cost or market value'. Changing it to `lower of
cost or net realisable value' gives a more precise
definition to the terms used.

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Stock Groups and Valuation

If there is only one sort of goods in stock, calculating the

lower of cost or net realisable value is easy.
If we have several or many types of goods in stock, we
can use one two ways of making the calculation.
From the information given in table below, we will
calculate the stock in two different ways; the category
and article method.

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Category Method
Stock as at 31 December 20X7
The
same sorts of
Article
Different
Cost (RM)
Net
items are put together
categories
realisable
value (RM)
in categories. Thus,
100
80
1
A
articles 1, 2 and 3
150
A
120
2
400
A
300
3
televisions and shown
180
170
B
4
as category A. Articles
150
130
B
5
B
260
210
6
4, 5 and 6 are radios
540
C
410
7
and shown as category
410
8
C
360
310
9
C
420
B. Articles 7, 8 and 9
2, 300
2, 400
are videos and shown
Articles 1, 2 and 3 are televisions. Articles 4, 5 and
6 are radios. Articles 7, 8 and 9 are videos.
as
category
C.

Calculation shown
the next slide.
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in

20

Category Method

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Article Method
By this method, the lower of cost or net realisable value
for each article is compared and the lowest figure taken.
From the previous table, this gives us the following
valuation:

Article
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Stock as at 31 December 20X7

Different
Cost (RM)
Net
categories
realisable
value (RM)
80
A
100
150
120
A
400
300
A
180
170
B
150
130
B
210
260
B
540
C
410
410
C
360
310
420
C
2, 300
2, 400

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Articles
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Valuation

RM
80
120
300
170
130
210
410
360
310
2, 090
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REFERENCES

McLaney, E. and Atril, P., (2006), Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists, 5th
Edition, FT/Prentice Hall.
McLaney, E. and Atrill, P., (2002), Accounting: An Introduction, FT/Prentice Hall.
Davies, T. and Pain, B., (2002), Business Accounting and Finance, 2002, McGraw
Hill (ISBN 0-07-709825-0).
Arnold, J., Hope, T. and Southworth, A., and Kirkham, L., (1994), Financial
Accounting, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall International.
Berry, A. and Jarvis, R. (1999), Accounting in Business Context, 3rd Ed, Thompson
Business Press.
Berry, A. (1999), Accounting: an Introduction, 2nd Edition, Thompson Business Press.
Glautier, M.W.E and Underdown, B., (2001), Accounting Theory and Practice, 7th
Edition, Prentice Hall.
Holmes, G. and Sugden, A., (1999), Interpreting Company Reports and Accounts, 7th
Edition, Financial Times/Prentice Hall.
Drury, C. (2001) Management Accounting for Business Decisions, International
Thomson Business Press.
Drury, C. (1998), Costing An Introduction, 4th Edition, International Thomson
Business Press.
Williamson, D., (1996), Cost and Management Accounting, Prentice Hall.

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