CASE 112 Debt Restructuring

Whiley Company issued a $100,000, fiveyear, 10 percent note to Security Company on January 2, 2016. Interest was to be paid annually each December 31. The stated rate of interest reflected the market rate of interest on similar notes.

Whiley made the first interest payment on December 31, 2016. Owing to financial difficulties, the firm was unable to pay any interest on December 31, 2017.

Security Co. agreed to the following terms:

The $100,000 principal would be payable in five equal installments, beginning December 31, 2017.

The accrued interest at December 31, 2017, would be forgiven.

Whiley would be required to make no other payments.

Because of the risk associated with the note, it has no determinable fair value. The note is secured by equipment having a fair value of $80,000 at December 31, 2017. The present value of the five equal installments discounted at 10 percent is $75,815.

Required:

Under current U.S. GAAP, at which amount would Whiley report the restructured liability at December 31, 2017? Explain. How much gain would Whiley recognize in its income statement for 2017? Explain. How much interest expense would Whiley recognize in 2016? Explain.

Under current U.S. GAAP, what alternatives does Security have for reporting the restructured receivable? Explain. How would each alternative affect the 2017 income statement and future interest revenue? Explain.

Discuss the pros and cons of the alternatives in (b) and compare them to the prior U.S. GAAP treatment (treatment that was reciprocal to the debtor).

If debtors were allowed to record the restructuring agreement in a manner similar to creditors, what would be the incremental effect (difference between what would be reported in this case and current U.S. GAAP for debtors) on Whileys financial statements, debttoequity ratio, and EPS for 2016 and 2017? Explain.