Part I: Communication Approach Paper:

Scenario

You are the Corporate Controller for your company and during the quarter completed the annual Goodwill Impairment test. The analysis determined that an impairment charge of $100 million dollars was necessary given a lower estimated fair market value of an acquired business that fell from $500 million to $400 million. The impairment charge was reflected as a $100 million expense on the quarterly income statement. This was not forecasted expense and caused EPS in the quarter to be reduced by $0.35, or half of the analysts' consensus EPS for the quarter. The lower fair market value was the result of a lower 5-year revenue forecast reflecting a more conservative view of product pricing than assumed in the acquisition business case. Pricing has been negatively affected by new, low-cost competitors that entered your market.

You are asked to communicate this significant accounting item to multiple stakeholders:

The investors in your company.

Hourly factory workers and plant managers at the company who will not be receiving an expected bonus due to the unplanned charge.

The audit committee of your company's board of directors.

Analyze a case study that requires an explanation of a complex accounting topic, goodwill impairments, to be communicated to three different stakeholders. You will need to assess the information needs and context for each group of stakeholders.

Summarize in a report of 250 words or less the communications approach you would take for each stakeholder group and provide support for the approach you chose