For companies with material off balance leases, IFRS 16
changes the nature of expenses related to those leases.
IFRS 16 replaces the typical straight-line operating
lease expense for those leases applying IAS 17 with a
depreciation charge for lease assets (included within
operating costs) and an interest expense on lease
liabilities (included within finance costs). This change
aligns the lease expense treatment for all leases.
Although the depreciation charge is typically even, the
interest expense reduces over the life of the lease as lease
payments are made. This results in a reducing total
expense as an individual lease matures. The difference
in the expense profile between IFRS 16 and IAS 17 is
expected to be insignificant for many companies holding
a portfolio of leases that start and end in different
reporting periods.