C) valuation, rights and obligations, classification.
D) classification, understandability, rights and obligations.
You are the auditor of Jehello Incorporated, a public company with a December year
end. Your firm has audited Jehello for the past three years. The following issues were
documented in the working paper files for the prior year audit:
∙ The company had incurred expenditures of $400,000 related to the development of a
new music format for electronic media. The large majority of the costs were related to
development of software, hardware, and presentation of the results to customers who
participated in focus groups. Management had been optimistic that the new sound
system would work well, even though focus group results had been poor. These costs
had been fully capitalized.
∙ About 40% of the company’s revenues were from one customer. That contract had
been due for renewal on May 15, ten days after the audit report had been issued.
Documents on file indicated that the customer seemed likely to renew the contract,
although quality control disputes were escalating. On May 14, Jehello was informed
that the contract would not be renewed.
Jehello has defaulted on its bank loans and the bank is suing you, saying that the
financial statements presented last year were false and misleading.
Required:
A) Which defences should the auditor use?
B) Do you believe that the auditor will lose the suit? Why or why not?