1—The need for change
All leases create assets and liabilities
Leases provide a source of fi nancing. A lessee obtains an asset and incurs a
liability when it enters into a lease. This view is held not only by the IASB
but also by the majority of investors and analysts, many regulators, standardsetters
and accounting fi rms, and some preparers.
Contrary to that view, at present, most leases are not reported on a lessee’s
balance sheet.
The signifi cance of the missing information varies by industry and region and
between entities. However, for many lessees, the effect on reported leverage
can be substantial.