IFRS 15, revenue policy, judgements and estimates, property company

Aldar Properties PJSC – Annual report – 31 December 2020

Industry: real estate

3.10 Revenue recognition

For contracts determined to be within the scope of revenue recognition, the Group is required to apply a five-step model to determine when to recognise revenue, and at what amount. Revenue is measured based on the consideration to which the Group expects to be entitled in a contract with a customer and excludes amounts collected on behalf of third parties. The Group recognises revenue when it transfers control of a product or service to a customer.

The Group recognises revenue from the following major sources:

  • Sale of properties (property development and sales) and provision of services
  • Service charges and expenses recoverable from tenants
  • Hospitality revenue
  • Income from leisure businesses
  • Construction contracts
  • Revenue from cooling assets
  • Fee and related income from schools
  • Management fee

Revenue from contracts with customers for sale of properties and provision of services

The Group recognises revenue from contracts with customers based on a five-step model as set out in IFRS 15:

Step 1   Identify contract(s) with a customer: A contract is defined as an agreement between two or more parties that creates enforceable rights and obligations and sets out the criteria for every contract that must be met.

Step 2   Identify performance obligations in the contract: A performance obligation is a promise in a contract with a customer to transfer a good or service to the customer.

Step 3   Determine the transaction price: The transaction price is the amount of consideration to which the Group expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to a customer, excluding amounts collected on behalf of third parties.

Step 4   Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract: For a contract that has more than one performance obligation, the Group allocates the transaction price to each performance obligation in an amount that depicts the amount of consideration to which the Group expects to be entitled in exchange for satisfying each performance obligation.

Step 5   Recognise revenue when (or as) the Group satisfies a performance obligation.

The Group satisfies a performance obligation and recognises revenue over time, if one of the following criteria is met:

  • The Group’s performance does not create an asset with an alternate use to the Group and the Group has as an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date.
  • The Group’s performance creates or enhances an asset that the customer controls as the asset is created or enhanced.
  • The customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits provided by the Group’s performance as the Group performs.

For performance obligations where one of the above conditions are not met, revenue is recognised at the point in time at which the performance obligation is satisfied.

When the Group satisfies a performance obligation by delivering the promised goods or services it creates a contract-based asset on the amount of consideration earned by the performance. Where the amount of consideration received from a customer exceeds the amount of revenue recognised this gives rise to a contract liability. Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable, taking into account contractually defined terms of payment and excluding taxes and duty.

The Group assesses its revenue arrangements against specific criteria to determine if it is acting as principal or agent. Revenue is recognised to the extent it is probable that the economic benefits will flow to the Group and the revenue and costs, if applicable, can be measured reliably.

Service charges and expenses recoverable from tenant

For investment properties held primarily to earn rental income, the Group enters as a lessor into lease agreements that fall within the scope of IFRS 16. Certain lease agreements include certain services offered to tenants (i.e., customers) including common area services (such as security, cleaning, maintenance, utilities, health and safety) as well as other support services (e.g., customer service and management) The consideration charged to tenants for these services includes fees charged based on a percentage of the rental income and reimbursement of certain expenses incurred. These services are specified in the lease agreements and separately invoiced.

The Group has determined that these services constitute distinct non-lease components (transferred separately from the right to use the underlying asset) and are within the scope of IFRS 15. The contracts of the Group specifically highlight stand-alone price for the services.

In respect of the revenue component, these services represent a series of daily services that are individually satisfied over time because the tenants simultaneously receive and consume the benefits provided by the Group. The Group applies the time elapsed method to measure progress.

Income arising from cost recharged to tenants is recognised in the period in which the cost can be contractually recovered. The Group arranges for third parties to provide certain of these services to its tenants. The Group concluded that it acts as a principal in relation to these services as it controls the specified services before transferring them to the customer. Therefore, the Group records revenue on a gross basis.

Hospitality revenue

Hospitality revenue corresponds to all the revenues received from guests of the hotels. The services rendered (including room rentals, food and beverage sales and other ancillary services) are distinct performance obligations, for which prices invoiced to the guests are representative of their stand-alone selling prices. These obligations are fulfilled over time when they relate to room rentals, that is over the stay within the hotel, and at a point in time for other goods or services, when they have been delivered or rendered.

Income from leisure businesses

Income from leisure businesses comprises revenue from goods sold and services provided at golf courses, beach clubs and marinas, and is recognised at the point when the goods are sold or services are rendered.

Income from schools

Registration fee is recognised as income when it is received. Tuition fee income is recognised over the period of tuition. Tuition fees received in advance are recorded as deferred income.

Revenue from construction contracts

The Group construct properties under long term contracts with customers. Such contracts are entered into before the construction work begins. Under the terms of the contracts, the Group is contractually restricted from redirecting the properties to another customer and has enforceable right to payment for work done. Revenue from construction is therefore recognised over time using input method to recognise revenue on the basis of entity’s efforts to the satisfaction of a performance obligation in accounting for its construction contracts. Management considers that this input method is an appropriate measure of the progress towards complete satisfaction of the performance obligations under IFRS 15.

Where the outcome of a construction contract cannot be estimated reliably, revenue is measured based on the consideration to which the Group expects to be entitled in a contract with a customer and excludes amounts collected on behalf of third parties. Contract costs incurred are amortised over the period of service. There is not considered to be a significant financing component in construction contracts with customers as the period between the recognition of revenue using the input method and the payment is always less than one year.

When it is possible that total contract costs will exceed total contract revenue, the expected loss is recognised as an expense in the profit or loss immediately.

Revenue from cooling assets

Revenue is recognised for supply of chilled water based on the agreements. The revenue in respect of the contracted capacity is recognised at the fixed rate, whereas the revenue in respect of the consumption of chilled water is recognised as these are consumed by the customer at agreed rates. In addition, customers are charged a one-time connection fee.

Contract costs

Costs of contracts include all direct costs of labour, materials, depreciation of property, plant and equipment (where applicable) and costs of subcontracted works, plus an appropriate portion of construction overheads and general and administrative expenses of the year allocated to construction contracts in progress during the year at a fixed rate of the value of work done on each contract. Any under recovery at the end of the fiscal year, is charged to profit or loss as unallocated overheads.

Contract assets and liabilities

The Group has determined that contract assets and liabilities are to be recognised at the performance obligation level and not at the contract level and both contract assets and liabilities are to be presented separately in the consolidated financial statements. The Group classifies its contract assets and liabilities as current and non-current based on the timing and pattern of flow of economic benefits.

4 CRITICAL ACCOUNTING JUDGMENTS AND KEY SOURCES OF ESTIMATION UNCERTAINTY

Judgements in relation to contracts with customers

Satisfaction of performance obligations

The Group is required to assess each of its contracts with customers to determine whether performance obligations are satisfied over time or at a point in time in order to determine the appropriate method for recognising revenue. Accordingly, the Group has evaluated the timing of revenue recognition on the sale of properties based on a careful analysis of the rights and obligations under the terms of the contract and legal advice from the Group’s legal counsel.

The Group has generally concluded that contracts relating to the sale of completed property are recognised at a point in time when control transfers. For unconditional exchanges of contracts, control is generally expected to transfer to the customer together with the legal title. For conditional exchanges, this is expected to take place when all the significant conditions are satisfied.

For contracts relating to the sale of property under development, the Group has generally concluded that the overtime criteria are met and, therefore, recognises revenue over time. These are contracts either for property sold to one customer for the entire land and building or for a multi-unit property. The Group has considered the factors contained in the contracts for the sale of property and concluded that the control of a multi-unit property is transferred to the customer over time because:

  • The Group’s performance creates or enhances an asset that the customer controls as the asset is created or enhanced. That is, the Group has considered various factors that indicate that the customer controls the part-constructed property as it is being constructed.
  • The Group’s performance does not create an asset with alternative use. Furthermore, the Group has an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date. It has considered the factors that indicate that it is restricted (contractually or practically) from readily directing the property under development for another use during its development. In addition, the Group is, at all times, entitled to an amount that at least compensates it for performances for performance completed to date (usually costs incurred to date plus a reasonable profit margin). In making this determination, the Group has carefully considered the contractual terms as well as any legislation or legal precedent that could supplement or override those contractual terms.

Where contracts are entered into for construction (to construct an asset for the customer), the Group has assessed that based on the contracts entered into with customers and the provisions of relevant laws and regulations, the Group recognises revenue over time because the Group’s performance creates or enhances an asset that the customer controls as the asset is created or enhanced.

The Group has determined that the input method is the best method for measuring progress for these contracts because there is a direct relationship between the costs incurred by the Group and the transfer of goods and services to the customer.

Where contracts are entered into to provide services (property management and facility management), the Group has assessed that based on the contracts entered into with customers and the provisions of relevant laws and regulations, the Group recognises revenue over time because the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits provided by the Group’s performance as the Group performs.

Where the above criteria are not met, revenue is recognised at a point in time. Where revenue is recognised at a point of time, the Group assesses each contract with customers to determine when the performance obligation of the Group under the contract is satisfied.

Determination of transaction prices

The Group is required to determine the transaction price in respect of each of its contracts with customers. In making such judgement the Group assesses the impact of any variable consideration in the contract, due to discounts or penalties, the existence of any significant financing component and any non-cash consideration in the contract.

In determining the impact of variable consideration, the Group uses the “most-likely amount” method in IFRS 15 whereby the transaction price is determined by reference to the single most likely amount in a range of possible consideration amounts.

Transfer of control in contracts with customers

In cases where the Group determines that performance obligations are satisfied at a point in time, revenue is recognised when control over the assets is transferred to the customer or benefits of the services being provided is received and consumed by the customer. In the case of contracts to sell real estate assets this is generally when the consideration for the unit has been substantially received and there are no impediments in the handing over of the unit to the customer.

Consideration of significant financing component in a contract

For some contracts involving the sale of property, the Group is entitled to receive an initial deposit. The Group concluded that this is not considered a significant financing component because it is for reasons other than the provision of financing to the Group. The initial deposits are used to protect the Group from the other party failing to adequately complete some or all of its obligations under the contract where customers do not have an established credit history or have a history of late payments.

Consideration of warranties

Contracts for the sale of property contain certain warranties covering a period of up to one year after completion of the property, such as the property meeting specific operational performance requirements. The Group assessed that these conditions represent ‘assurance-type’ warranties that are customary provided as quality guarantees and are therefore accounted for under IAS 37.

Contract variations

Contract variations are recognised as revenues only to the extent that it is probable that they will not result in a significant reversal of revenue in subsequent periods. Management considers prior experience, application of contract terms and the relationship with the customers in making their judgement.

Contract claims

Contract claims are recognised as revenue only when management believes that only to the extent that it is probable that they will not result in a significant reversal of revenue in subsequent periods. Management reviews the judgment related to these contract claims periodically and adjustments are made in the future periods, if assessments indicate that such adjustments are appropriate.

4.2 Key sources of estimation uncertainty (extract)

Measurement of progress when revenue is recognised over time

For those contracts involving the sale of property under development and construction contracts that meet the overtime criteria of revenue recognition, the Group’s performance is measured using an input method, by reference to the inputs towards satisfying the performance obligation relative to the total expected inputs to satisfy the performance obligation, i.e., the completion of the property. The Group considers that the use of the input method, which requires revenue recognition on the basis of the Group’s efforts to the satisfaction of performance obligation, provides the best reference of revenue actually earned. The Group generally uses the costs incurred method as a measure of progress for its contracts because it best depicts the Group’s performance. Under this method of measuring progress, the extent of progress towards completion is measured based on the ratio of costs incurred to date to the total estimated costs at completion of the performance obligation. When costs are incurred, but do not contribute to the progress in satisfying the performance obligation (such as unexpected amounts of wasted materials, labour or other resources), the Group excludes the effect of those costs. Also, the Group adjusts the input method for any cost incurred that are not proportionate to the Group’s progress in satisfying the performance obligation.

In applying the input method, the Group estimates the efforts or inputs to the satisfaction of a performance obligation. In addition to the cost of meeting contractual obligation to the customers, these estimates mainly include:

  • For development contracts, the cost of development and related infrastructure;
  • For construction contracts, the certified works as evaluated by project consultant; and
  • For services contracts, the time elapsed.