HSBC 2011 Annual Report Download - page 294

HSBC HOLDINGS PLC
Notes on the Financial Statements (continued)
1 – Basis of preparation
292
HSBC uses the US dollar as its presentation currency in its consolidated financial statements because the US
dollar and currencies linked to it form the major currency bloc in which HSBC transacts and funds its business.
(d) Use of estimates and assumptions
The preparation of financial information requires the use of estimates and assumptions about future conditions.
The use of available information and the application of judgement are inherent in the formation of estimates;
actual results in the future may differ from estimates upon which financial information is prepared. Management
believes that HSBC’s critical accounting policies where judgement is necessarily applied are those which relate
to impairment of loans and advances, goodwill impairment, the valuation of financial instruments, the
impairment of available-for-sale financial assets, deferred tax assets and provisions for liabilities. See ‘Critical
accounting policies’ on pages 38 to 42, which form an integral part of these financial statements.
Further information about key assumptions concerning the future, and other key sources of estimation
uncertainty, are set out in the Notes on the Financial Statements.
(e) Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements of HSBC comprise the financial statements of HSBC Holdings and its
subsidiaries made up to 31 December, with the exception of the banking and insurance subsidiaries of HSBC
Bank Argentina, whose financial statements are made up to 30 June annually to comply with local regulations.
Accordingly, HSBC uses their audited interim financial statements, drawn up to 31 December annually.
Subsidiaries are consolidated from the date that HSBC gains control. The acquisition method of accounting is
used when subsidiaries are acquired by HSBC. The cost of an acquisition is measured at the fair value of the
consideration, including contingent consideration, given at the date of exchange. Acquisition-related costs are
recognised as an expense in the income statement in the period in which they are incurred. The acquired
identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities are generally measured at their fair values at the date of
acquisition. Goodwill is measured as the excess of the aggregate of the consideration transferred, the amount of
non-controlling interest and the fair value of HSBC’s previously held equity interest, if any, over the net of the
amounts of the identifiable assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. The amount of non-controlling interest is
measured either at fair value or at the non-controlling interest’s proportionate share of the acquiree’s identifiable
net assets. In a business combination achieved in stages, the previously held equity interest is remeasured at the
acquisition-date fair value with the resulting gain or loss recognised in the income statement. In the event that the
amount of net assets acquired is in excess of the aggregate of the consideration transferred, the amount of non-
controlling interest and the fair value of HSBC’s previously held equity interest, the difference is recognised
immediately in the income statement.
Changes in a parent’s ownership interest in a subsidiary that do not result in a loss of control are treated as
transactions between equity holders and are reported in equity.
Entities that are controlled by HSBC are consolidated until the date that control ceases.
In the context of Special Purpose Entities (‘SPE’s), the following circumstances may indicate a relationship in
which, in substance, HSBC controls and consequently consolidates an SPE:
– the activities of the SPE are being conducted on behalf of HSBC according to its specific business needs so
that HSBC obtains benefits from the SPE’s operation;
– HSBC has the decision-making powers to obtain the majority of the benefits of the activities of the SPE or,
by setting up an ‘autopilot’ mechanism, HSBC has delegated these decision-making powers;
– HSBC has rights to obtain the majority of the benefits of the SPE and therefore may be exposed to risks
incidental to the activities of the SPE; or
– HSBC retains the majority of the residual or ownership risks related to the SPE or its assets in order to
obtain benefits from its activities.
HSBC performs a re-assessment of consolidation whenever there is a change in the substance of the relationship
between HSBC and an SPE.
All intra-HSBC transactions are eliminated on consolidation.