Financial Reporting Impact Of The Operating Lease Classification

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are preparing to make changes to accounting standards for leasing that will have a significant impact on the financial statements of a large number of companies. The proposed standard will eliminate the operating lease classification, and if passed, companies using this classification will be required to report additional assets and liabilities on the balance sheet. This study estimates the impact of this change in accounting standards on the financial statements and several key financial ratios for an extensive sample of companies and industries from the Compustat North America database. It is important that users of financial statements understand and are prepared for these changes prior to implementation, particularly for industries in which operating leases are heavily utilized.