52 The variability relating to the consideration promised by a customer may be
explicitly stated in the contract. In addition to the terms of the contract, the
promised consideration is variable if either of the following circumstances
exists:
(a) the customer has a valid expectation arising from an entity’s customary
business practices, published policies or specific statements that the
entity will accept an amount of consideration that is less than the price
stated in the contract. That is, it is expected that the entity will offer a
price concession. Depending on the jurisdiction, industry or customer
this offer may be referred to as a discount, rebate, refund or credit.
(b) other facts and circumstances indicate that the entity’s intention, when
entering into the contract with the customer, is to offer a price
concession to the customer.
53 An entity shall estimate an amount of variable consideration by using either of
the following methods, depending on which method the entity expects to better
predict the amount of consideration to which it will be entitled:
(a) The expected value—the expected value is the sum of
probability-weighted amounts in a range of possible consideration
amounts. An expected value may be an appropriate estimate of the
amount of variable consideration if an entity has a large number of
contracts with similar characteristics.
(b) The most likely amount—the most likely amount is the single most likely
amount in a range of possible consideration amounts (ie the single most
likely outcome of the contract). The most likely amount may be an
appropriate estimate of the amount of variable consideration if the
contract has only two possible outcomes (for example, an entity either
achieves a performance bonus or does not).
54 An entity shall apply one method consistently throughout the contract when
estimating the effect of an uncertainty on an amount of variable consideration
to which the entity will be entitled. In addition, an entity shall consider all the
information (historical, current and forecast) that is reasonably available to the
entity and shall identify a reasonable number of possible consideration
amounts. The information that an entity uses to estimate the amount of
variable consideration would typically be similar to the information that the
entity’s management uses during the bid-and-proposal process and in
establishing prices for promised goods or services.
Refund liabilities
55 An entity shall recognise a refund liability if the entity receives consideration
from a customer and expects to refund some or all of that consideration to the
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customer. A refund liability is measured at the amount of consideration
received (or receivable) for which the entity does not expect to be entitled
(ie amounts not included in the transaction price). The refund liability (and
corresponding change in the transaction price and, therefore, the contract
liability) shall be updated at the end of each reporting period for changes in
circumstances. To account for a refund liability relating to a sale with a right of
return, an entity shall apply the guidance in paragraphs B20–B27.
Constraining estimates of variable consideration
56 An entity shall include in the transaction price some or all of an amount of
variable consideration estimated in accordance with paragraph 53 only to the
extent that it is highly probable that a significant reversal in the amount of
cumulative revenue recognised will not occur when the uncertainty associated
with the variable consideration is subsequently resolved.
57 In assessing whether it is highly probable that a significant reversal in the
amount of cumulative revenue recognised will not occur once the uncertainty
related to the variable consideration is subsequently resolved, an entity shall
consider both the likelihood and the magnitude of the revenue reversal. Factors
that could increase the likelihood or the magnitude of a revenue reversal
include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(a) the amount of consideration is highly susceptible to factors outside the
entity’s influence. Those factors may include volatility in a market, the
judgement or actions of third parties, weather conditions and a high risk
of obsolescence of the promised good or service.
(b) the uncertainty about the amount of consideration is not expected to be
resolved for a long period of time.
(c) the entity’s experience (or other evidence) with similar types of contracts
is limited, or that experience (or other evidence) has limited predictive
value.
(d) the entity has a practice of either offering a broad range of price
concessions or changing the payment terms and conditions of similar
contracts in similar circumstances.
(e) the contract has a large number and broad range of possible
consideration amounts.
58 An entity shall apply paragraph B63 to account for consideration in the form of
a sales-based or usage-based royalty that is promised in exchange for a licence of
intellectual property.
Reassessment of variable consideration
59 At the end of each reporting period, an entity shall update the estimated
transaction price (including updating its assessment of whether an estimate of
variable consideration is constrained) to represent faithfully the circumstances
present at the end of the reporting period and the changes in circumstances
during the reporting period. The entity shall account for changes in the
transaction price in accordance with paragraphs 87–90.