FASB looking to expense leasing costs
Major companies could be affected by the change
US accounting standard setter, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, is
considering forcing companies to include the cost of leased equipment and
property on the balance sheet.
Currently these costs are not included on the debt side of the balance sheet
with a company only required to detail its future lease obligations with a
special footnote in the annual report.
The actual rent payments during any given quarter are deducted in the income
statement for that period.
The new rule would have a major impact on the balance sheet of some of the
world’s biggest companies including drugstore giant Walgreen Co, and postal
services group Federal Express, which have billions of dollars in leasing costs.