PwC's accounting podcast

We kick off another month of podcasts, this time focused on financial statement presentation hot topics. Drumroll please... This week we are presenting EPS.In this episode, host Heather Horn sits down with John Horan, PwC National Office managing director, to discuss the significance of earnings per share (EPS), focusing on the practical challenges and judgments involved in this not-so-simple, but very closely-watched, computation.In this episode, you’ll hear:00:56 - The significance of EPS to the analyst and investor community02:59 - A refresher of the differences between basic and diluted EPS and a discussion of judgments involved in the computation, including redeemable securities9:50 - A discussion of the impact of changes in capital structure and reorganizations, including stock dividends, stock splits, and IPOs, on the EPS computation20:25 - Reporting reminders, including disclosure requirements and considerations related to subsequent eventsFor more information, read chapter 7 of our Financial statement presentation guide. Additionally, follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app for more episodes.John Horan is a managing director in PwC’s National Office where he assists clients with complex accounting issues in the areas of foreign currency, liabilities and equity, earnings per share, and derivatives and hedging. John specializes in large capital transactions and initial public offerings.Heather Horn is PwC’s National Office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series. With over 30 years of experience, Heather’s accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com. Did you enjoy this episode? Text us your thoughts and be sure to include the episode name.

Even as mandatory sustainability reporting regulations near effective dates in jurisdictions around the world, voluntary reporting remains an important part of many companies’ disclosures. With more than 10,000 companies around the world using its standards, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) remains a key standard setter in the impact reporting space.Today’s guest makes the case that there are myriad benefits to voluntary reporting – not the least of which is preparation for mandatory reporting. Host Heather Horn sits down with Eelco van der Enden, CEO of GRI, to discuss GRI's recent accomplishments and the path ahead for sustainability reporting around the world.In this episode, you’ll hear them discuss:1:05 - GRI’s accomplishments in the past year6:29 - The development of a digital taxonomy that will facilitate interoperability between the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and GRI12:16 - The overlap between impact reporting and financial materiality, and the importance of considering demographic challenges, climate change, and related legislation in impact reporting17:45 - The collaboration between GRI and the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in launching a Sustainability Innovation Lab in Singapore30:53 – How GRI is innovating to support small and medium company reporting39:16 – The launch of GRI’s new disclosure standard on biodiversity41:15 – How standard setters are working together to address the challenges faced by companies in complying with multiple reporting regimesLooking for the latest developments in sustainability reporting? Follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay in the loop for the latest thought leadership on sustainability standards. Eelco van der Enden is the CEO of the Global Reporting Initiative. Prior to this role, Eelco led PwC’s global ESG platform for the Tax & Legal and People Services, and PwC's Tax Administration Consulting practice. Eelco is also Chairman of the Tax Policy Group of Accountancy Europe, and has published multiple articles on tax governance and reporting. Heather Horn is PwC’s National Office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series. With over 30 years of experience, Heather’s accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com. Did you enjoy this episode? Text us your thoughts and be sure to include the episode name.

The Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework serves as a foundation for the major ESG disclosure frameworks, and also the basis for the California SB 261 climate disclosure rules recently signed into law. The UK first mandated reporting under the TCFD for listed companies beginning in 2021, and as such, there are two years of reports and insights available in 2023.  In today’s podcast, host Heather Horn sat down with Mark O’Sullivan, PwC UK’s Head of Corporate Reporting, to discuss PwC’s review of the second year of mandatory TCFD reporting for certain companies in the UK, and how insights from this review can help companies looking to start or enhance their climate-related disclosures. In this episode, you’ll hear:4:44 - Our review findings for year two of mandatory TCFD reporting in the UK10:12 - Current challenges, including the understanding and expectation gaps faced by companies required to “comply or explain”18:09 - Observations and trends by industry 24:01 - Key takeaways from year two for companies looking to start or enhance their own TCFD reporting30:09 - Regulatory findings from the UK’s Financial Reporting Council (FRC) on metrics and targets34:36 - What’s coming next for TCFD, and its relationship with other ESG frameworks that are becoming mandatory39:39 - Discussion of materiality assessments and the FRC’s recent findings44:30 - Advice for companies preparing for mandatory UK, California, or other ESG reporting rulesWant to learn more about developments in ESG and TCFD? Read PwC UK’s publications, The green shoots of TCFD reporting, and Still early days: A review of year two of TCFD reporting, along with our previous podcast on how TCFD is shaping today’s reporting landscape. Additionally, refer to the FRC’s latest report on its reviews of TCFD disclosures, as well as the FRC Lab’s recent articles on materiality assessments and applications. Mark O’Sullivan is PwC UK’s Head of Corporate Reporting. He has more than 15 years of experience advising leading organizations on current and best practices in reporting and the implementation of new reporting strategies to meet the needs of the capital markets. Mark also oversees PwC’s annual review of corporate reporting practices in the FTSE 350.Heather Horn is PwC’s National Office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series. With over 30 years of experience, Heather’s accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com.Did you enjoy this episode? Text us your thoughts and be sure to include the episode name.

The European Union (EU) has ushered in a new era of sustainability reporting, as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is now effective. With impacts to both EU and non-EU headquartered companies, now is the time to understand the reporting requirements of this sweeping new regulation. Continuing our CSRD series, this week we discuss the topic of “double materiality,” which represents the intersection between impact materiality and financial materiality. In this episode, Heather Horn is joined by Cécile Saint-Martin, PwC’s Global ESG Assurance Leader, to go over this critical element in determining the applicable impacts, risks, and opportunities, as well as extent of disclosures under CSRD.In this episode, you’ll hear:3:09 - Lessons learned from legacy reporting under the Non-financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), the predecessor to CSRD4:32 - Introduction to double materiality 10:17 - Examples of the double materiality assessment for specific topics17:29 - The interplay between ESRS and other standards and the double materiality assessment24:53 - Evaluation of double materiality with a governance and strategy lens26:52 - Stakeholder considerations31:28 - Steps for identifying material matters39:24 - Advice on aggregating information for process disclosure and reporting purposes44:09 - Next steps and recommendations for preparersLooking for more information on the CSRD and reporting requirements? Check out our publications Worldwide impact of CSRD - are you ready? and Take the next step - decide how to report under CSRD for further details. Additionally, follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app for future episodes in this CSRD spotlight miniseries, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get all of our thought leadership.Cécile Saint-Martin is PwC’s Global ESG Assurance Leader, leading the firm’s global initiative to deliver high quality and relevant assurance over ESG reporting. Based in France, she has executed assurance engagements on European corporations, and currently leads interpretation and implementation efforts on CSRD. Cécile has over 25 years of experience at PwC, also serving as an audit partner on global accounts within the Industry & Services sector. Heather Horn is PwC’s National Office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series. With over 30 years of experience, Heather’s accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com.Did you enjoy this episode? Text us your thoughts and be sure to include the episode name.

The European Union (EU) has ushered in a new era of sustainability reporting, as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is now effective. With impacts to both EU and non-EU headquartered companies, now is the time to understand the reporting requirements of this sweeping new regulation. Continuing our miniseries focused on the essentials of the CSRD, this week we discuss options a company may have in its approach to reporting. In this episode, Heather welcomes back Emily Kirsch, director in PwC’s sustainability practice, to share practical considerations in a company’s determination of the most effective reporting approach for its organization. In this episode, you’ll hear discussion of:5:03 - Scope requirements under the CSRD7:37 - Available reporting exemptions 11:46 - Initial considerations for deciding the level of reporting, and whom to involve16:19 - How to consider data availability, IT systems, and organizational structure23:27 - Timing of reporting deadlines and phase-in reliefs for smaller companies26:18 - How existing voluntary reporting may be insufficient to meet CSRD requirements30:28 - Alignment between sustainability reporting, corporate strategy, and stakeholder communications34:07 - Key next steps in making a reporting decision, including the importance of evaluating benefits and trade-offs Looking for more information on the CSRD and reporting requirements? Check out our publications Worldwide impact of CSRD - are you ready? and Take the next step - decide how to report under CSRD for further details. Additionally, follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app for future episodes in this CSRD spotlight miniseries, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get all of our thought leadership, including an upcoming publication on EU sustainability regulations beyond the CSRD that impact non-EU companies, including the EU Taxonomy.Emily Kirsch is a director in PwC's sustainability practice focused on sustainability reporting and standard setting in the EU. She advises both public and private companies in navigating complex accounting and financial reporting topics during periods of change in an organization. Heather Horn is PwC’s National Office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series. With over 30 years of experience, Heather’s accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com.Did you enjoy this episode? Text us your thoughts and be sure to include the episode name.

As effective dates for sustainability reporting requirements inch closer, companies face pressure to stand up reporting workstreams before it is too late. With multiple frameworks coming into play in the near term, managing the data gathering, aggregation, and reporting of numerous metrics is a manual exercise for many companies. But is there technology that can help?In today’s episode, host Heather Horn is joined by Sammy Lakshmanan, principal in PwC’s Sustainability Consulting Solutions practice, to discuss the ways that leading companies are integrating technology into their sustainability reporting work plans. Sammy provides insights on how companies can leverage the power of technology to generate value that goes beyond compliance. In this episode, you’ll hear discussion of:4:02 - Expected impacts of the shift from voluntary to mandatory ESG reporting7:47 - The current landscape of sustainability reporting technology solutions 10:29 - A roadmap for digital transformation, including the sequencing of events, and which stakeholders to involve16:04 - The importance of controllership and governance over reporting26:32 - Harnessing technology investments to report and provide value through data analytics36:14 - Using technology to capture, aggregate, and organize data for different reporting frameworks42:36 - Crowdsourcing ideas from peers and partners to address similar challenges45:34 - Three things companies should consider to maximize technology enablement for sustainability reportingLooking for more information on getting ready for mandatory ESG reporting? Check out our publication,  Preparing for tomorrow's rules today. Additionally, refer to our Navigating the ESG landscape publication for the latest updates on major global sustainability frameworks.Sammy Lakshmanan is a principal in PwC’s Sustainability Consulting Solutions practice. With over 20 years of experience helping companies shape their ESG and sustainability strategies leveraging technology and data to operationalize sustainability, he helps customers develop and execute strategies to shift from a compliance-driven to a value-driven approach. Sammy also serves as co-chair for the Open Footprint Forum, which is developing a data standard for carbon-management data.Heather Horn is PwC’s National Office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series. With over 30 years of experience, Heather’s accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com.Did you enjoy this episode? Text us your thoughts and be sure to include the episode name.

The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) released its final disclosure recommendations for nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities on September 18. Given the interrelationship between climate and nature — and the dependence of business on nature — companies may want to consider this new framework as a tool in communicating their full sustainability story.This week, Heather Horn is joined by Daniel O’Brien, PwC Canada’s Sustainable Business Solutions leader and TNFD member, to discuss what companies should do now to prepare to make effective nature-related disclosures.In this episode, you’ll hear discussion of:4:18 - Background on the TNFD, including how the taskforce was formed and its mission8:11 - The key principles of the TNFD framework and interoperability of the TCFD framework with existing climate reporting frameworks13:36 - Complexities in critical areas of the TNFD framework 20:08 - Recommendations for how companies should approach TNFD disclosures29:29 - How companies should approach data collection for qualitative and quantitative nature disclosures31:10 - Best practices and common pitfalls in reporting nature-related disclosures37:33 - Final thoughts on why companies should consider utilizing the TNFD frameworkLooking for more information on nature related reporting? Check out a podcast from our “Becoming nature positive” series on Committing, measuring, and reporting. Daniel O'Brien is PwC Canada’s Sustainable Business Solutions leader, helping clients to align their business strategies with the environmental and social challenges and opportunities of the future economy. Daniel has over 18 years of experience in environmental consulting and management. He is also a member of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).Heather Horn is PwC’s National Office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series. With over 30 years of experience, Heather’s accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com.Did you enjoy this episode? Text us your thoughts and be sure to include the episode name.

John Horan, a managing director in PwC’s National office, joins Bret Dooley to discuss earnings per share (EPS) on this episode. They cover topics such as basic EPS calculation, impact of mezzanine equity, new FASB guidance on EPS calculations, complexities in dilution calculation, and evaluating repurchased convertible instruments.

Topics discussed include the use of convertible instruments in financing decisions, the impact of new accounting guidance, down round provisions in equity-linked instruments, judgments involved in determining whether to separate the conversion option, and the importance of involving accountants early in accounting for convertible preferred instruments.

The podcast discusses the current expected credit loss model (CECL) and its impact on various industries. It covers topics such as the application of CECL to different asset classes, preparing CECL disclosures, and the potential impact of subsequent events on CECL estimates. The podcast also mentions the proposed changes in accounting for purchased credit deteriorated assets and emphasizes the importance of providing feedback to the FASB. Listeners are directed to the loans and investments guide for more information on CECL.