Instar Company has several investments in the securities of other companies. The following information regarding these investments is available at December 31, 2025. 

1. Instar holds bonds issued by Dorsel Corp. The bonds have an amortized cost of $320,000 and their fair value at December 31, 2025, is $400,000. Instar intends to hold the bonds until they mature on ecember 31, 2033.

2. Instar has invested idle cash in the equity securities of several publicly traded companies. Instar intends to sell these securities during the first quarter of 2026, when it will need the cash to acquire seasonal inventory. These equity securities have a cost basis of $800,000 and a fair value of $920,000 at December 31, 2025.

3. Instar has an ownership stake in one of the companies that supplies Instar with various components Instar uses in its products. Instar owns 6% of the common stock of the supplier, does not have any representation on the supplier’s board of directors, does not exchange any personnel with the supplier, and does not consult with the supplier on any of the supplier’s operating, financial, or strategic decisions. The cost basis of the investment in the supplier is $1,200,000 and the fair value of the investment at December 31, 2025, is $1,550,000. Instar does not intend to sell the investment in the foreseeable future. The supplier reported net income of $80,000 for 2025 and paid no dividends.

4. Instar purchased 25% of the stock of Slobbaer Co. for $900,000. Instar has significant influence over the operating activities of Slobbaer Co. During 2025, Slobbaer Co. reported net income of $300,000 and paid a dividend of $100,000.

Accounting

a. Determine how each of the investments described above should be classified and accounted for.

b. Prepare any December 31, 2025, journal entries needed for Instar relating to Instar’s various investments in other companies. Assume 2025 is Instar’s first year of operations.

Analysis

What is the effect on Instar’s 2025 net income (as reported on Instar’s income statement) of Instar’s investments in other companies?

Principles

Briefly explain the different rationales for the different accounting and reporting rules for different types of investments in the securities of other companies.