CRR Case Summaries and Entity-specific Press Notices
The FRC publishes, on a quarterly basis, summaries of its findings from recently closed reviews that resulted in a substantive question to a company (‘Case Summaries’). In addition, it publishes the names of companies whose reviews were closed in the previous quarter without the need for a substantive question. No Case Summary is prepared for such reviews.
Case Summaries, which are available for cases closed in the quarter ending March 2021 onwards, are included in the table below. As, currently, the FRC is subject to existing legal restrictions on disclosing confidential information received from a company, the Case Summaries can only be disclosed with the company's consent. Where consent has been withheld by the company, that fact is disclosed in the table.
From March 2018 until March 2021, the FRC published the names of companies whose reviews were closed in the previous quarter but did not prepare Case Summaries. However, on an exceptional basis, specific cases may be publicised through entity-specific Press Notices, which can also be found in the table below.
The FRC’s reviews are based solely on the company’s annual report and accounts (or interim reports) and do not benefit from detailed knowledge of the company’s business or an understanding of the underlying transactions entered into. They are, however, conducted by staff of the FRC who have an understanding of the relevant legal and accounting framework. The FRC’s correspondence with the company provides no assurance that the annual report and accounts (or interim reports) are correct in all material respects; the FRC’s role is not to verify the information provided but to consider compliance with reporting requirements. The FRC’s correspondence is written on the basis that the FRC (which includes the FRC’s officers, employees and agents) accepts no liability for reliance on its letters or Case Summaries by the company or any third party, including but not limited to investors and shareholders.
Key
- Only a certain number of CRR’s reviews result in substantive questioning of the Board. Matters raised may cover questions of recognition, measurement and/or disclosure.
- CRR’s routine reviews of companies’ annual reports and accounts generally cover all parts over which the FRC has statutory powers (that is, strategic reports, directors’ reports and financial statements). Similarly, CRR’s routine reviews of companies’ interim reports will generally cover all information in that document. Limited scope reviews arise for a number of reasons, including those conducted when a company’s annual report and accounts or interim report are selected for thematic review or reviews that have been prompted by a complaint. In accordance with the FRC's Operating Procedures, for Corporate Reporting Review, CRR does not identify those companies whose reviews were prompted by a complaint.
- The FRC may ask a company to refer to its exchanges with CRR when the company makes a change to a significant aspect of its annual report and accounts or interim report in response to a review.
- Case closed after 1 January 2021 but performed under operating procedures that did not allow for the publication of Case Summaries.
- From the quarter ended June 2023, the FRC started identifying the auditor of the annual report and accounts, or the audit firm that issued a review report on the interim report, that was the subject of the CRR review. This information was also back-dated for closed cases publicised from the quarter ended September 2022. Cases marked N/A relate to those published prior to September 2022 or interim reviews that did not have a review opinion.’
Case Summaries
CRR Case Summaries and Entity-specific Press Notices (Excel version)
| Entity | Empresaria Group plc |
|---|---|
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | Yes |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | CLA Evelyn Partners Limited |
| Case Summary / Press Notice |
Revenue We asked the company to provide further information about the nature of the accrued income balance, and whether its calculation involved significant judgement. The company provided sufficient information, confirmed that the calculation did not involve significant judgement, and agreed to disclose an accounting policy for the balance in future annual reports. The company also explained how it applies the variable consideration constraint to permanent placement revenue. Impairment tests We noted that the company’s market capitalisation at the year-end was less than both consolidated and parent net assets, which is an indicator of impairment, and questioned the company’s impairment testing. In respect of the consolidated accounts, the company confirmed that its impairment tests covered all assets in cash-generating units that included goodwill, and that no impairments were identified. The company also agreed to clarify and extend its disclosures in respect of goodwill impairment reviews in future annual reports and accounts. In respect of the parent company accounts, the company confirmed that it performed impairment tests of amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings, as well as investments in subsidiary undertakings. It agreed to provide additional disclosures in the parent company financial statements in future annual reports, particularly in relation to the key assumptions used and the associated significant estimation uncertainty. |
| Entity | EnQuest PLC |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | Deloitte LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | Fintel Plc |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | Ernst & Young LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | Forterra Plc |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | Ernst & Young LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | Franchise Brands plc |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | BDO LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | Harworth Group Plc |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | Ernst & Young LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | Helios Towers plc |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | Deloitte LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | Henry Boot Plc |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | Ernst & Young LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | Hochschild Mining PLC |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | Ernst & Young LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | InterContinental Hotels Group PLC |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | JD Sports Fashion Plc |
| Balance Sheet Date | 3 February 2024 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Limited |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | Deloitte LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | John Swire & Sons Limited |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2022 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | Yes |
| Scope of Review (2) | Limited |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | KPMG LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice |
This company was selected as part of our thematic review of the UK's largest private companies and, as such, only disclosures included in the scope of the thematic were reviewed. Strategic report We asked the company to explain how its strategic report met the disclosure requirements in s414C of the Companies Act 2006. The company provided an explanation but also agreed to supplement future strategic reports with additional information to deliver a more comprehensive analysis of the development, performance and position of the business. Principal activities and revenue We asked the company to provide us with more detail on the nature of its principal activities and to explain the basis on which revenue is recognised for each significant revenue stream. The company provided this and agreed to include additional information about the nature and timing of revenue recognised over time in the accounting policies in future annual reports and accounts. Interests in other entities We asked for clarification of the factors considered in the control assessment for the group’s holding in Cathay Pacific, which was disclosed as a critical accounting judgement. The company outlined the key contractual terms with other parties which formed the basis for the conclusion that the group does not control Cathay Pacific. The company agreed to enhance the key judgement disclosure in future annual report and accounts to include additional detail on these terms. |
| Entity | Just Group plc |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 December 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |
| Entity | Kier Group plc (3) |
| Balance Sheet Date | 30 June 2023 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | Yes |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice |
Impairment testing of intangible assets Offsetting of bank overdraft The company clarified that it considered all bank accounts within its cash pooling arrangement, where the legal right of set-off existed, to be a single unit of account. Therefore, although it could not demonstrate an intention to settle period end amounts on a net basis, it did not consider this requirement to be relevant. We were not persuaded, on the basis of the information and explanations provided, that it was appropriate in the company’s circumstances to treat these balances as a single unit of account. The company accepted that separate presentation of subsidiary company overdrafts and cash balances within the consolidated balance sheet would be more appropriate and agreed to change its accounting policy with the prior year comparative balances re-presented accordingly. As this related to a primary statement, we asked the company to disclose that the matter had come to its attention as a result of our enquiry. |
| Entity | Land Securities Group Plc |
| Balance Sheet Date | 31 March 2024 |
| Exchange of Substantive Letters (1) | No |
| Scope of Review (2) | Full |
| Quarter Published | December 2024 |
| Auditor (5) | Ernst & Young LLP |
| Case Summary / Press Notice | N/A |