different measurements results in an aggregate amount with no conceptual meaning. It is analogous
to summing amounts stated in different currencies.34
Even using the same measurement base for all assets and liabilities does not solve this problem;
the measurement base must be one that is amenable to aggregation. For example, summing
modified historical cost amounts does not result in a meaningful aggregate amount. Although
summing fair value amounts is amenable to aggregation, it does not result in an amount that
represents the fair value of a group of nonfinancial assets because the sum ignores unrecognized
assets and synergies among the assets. Thus, another key question is whether there is a
measurement base that possesses those characteristics both for individual items and for aggregate
items and, if there is, what is it?
The Framework makes clear that in making their economic decisions, investors need to predict
future cash flows that they will receive. However, because cash flows to the entity are the ultimate
source of future cash flows to the investors, investors focus on predicting cash flows of the entity.
The question is what measurements help investors predict entity cash flows? Do aggregate amounts
based on simply summing the amounts for individual assets, liabilities, and other financial
statement elements have more—or less—predictive value regarding entity cash flows than
aggregate amounts based on some other measurement? The Framework acknowledges that financial
statements contain aggregate amounts, but does not consider whether separate measurement of
aggregate financial statement elements and individual elements would enhance predictive ability.
Some think asset measurements that reflect what managers plan to do with the assets would
enhance investors’ ability to predict entity cash flows.35 This has been referred to as business
model- or intent-based measurement. The notion is that an entity’s measurement for an asset would
depend on the entity’s business model or management intent. For example, an entity uses amortized
cost for debt securities if the entity has the ability and intent to hold the securities to maturity, but
uses fair value if it intends to trade them. Although the same asset held by entities with different
business models or intentions would be measured differently, the different measurements would
reflect the difference in cash flows that investors should expect from the entity’s assets.36 Much of
the debate surrounding using measurement bases that depend on the entity’s business model focuses
on whether such measurements, in themselves, possess the qualitative characteristics, particularly
comparability (e.g., Leisenring, Linsmeier, Schipper, and Trott 2012). Another key concern is that
basing measurement on an entity’s business model or intent would lack verifiability and, thus, leave
too much room for the exercise of management discretion in determining accounting amounts.
However, it might be the case that in addition to the separate measurements of individual
assets, the difference between the sum of the individual asset measurements and a different
measurement of the assets in aggregate could provide useful financial statement information. For