Given the decisions of the boards to this point, we next consider ways to mitigate the effect we expect in H1. If users fixate on total debt as presented on the balance sheet, it could be because of an aggregation problem. In other words, users might want to treat optional renewal periods differently than fixed renewal periods, but fail to realize that the total lease liability on the balance sheet includes optional renewal periods because both items are aggregated together on the face of the balance sheet (and they fail to incorporate fully information contained in the footnotes). If so, then
one way to mitigate the effect we expect in H1 is to disaggregate recognized lease liabilities into lease obligations relating to fixed and optional renewal periods. These disaggregated amounts can be labeled to indicate that the amounts associated with the renewal periods are optional at the lessee’s discretion, consistent with Maines and McDaniel (2000), whose framework suggests that disaggregation and labeling are two important cognitive dimensions that impact how investors weigh information.