investment company

ASC 225-946 was the industry-specific income statement guidance for investment companies, but every paragraph in it (Sections 05, 15, 45, and 50) was superseded by Maintenance Update 2017-19. The subtopic is now an empty shell with no operative guidance; the substantive requirements for an investment company's statement of operations were relocated to (and remain in) ASC 946, Financial Services—Investment Companies. Readers encountering a citation to 225-946 should redirect to ASC 946-225.

This subtopic applies the statement of cash flows requirements to investment companies and points to the narrow exemption that lets certain investment companies omit the statement entirely. It also identifies noncash investing and financing activities peculiar to investment companies — notably reinvested dividends and distributions — that must be disclosed.

This Subtopic governs how an investment company (a fund) accounts for its portfolio of debt and equity securities, with special attention to high-yield debt securities such as zero-coupon, step, and payment-in-kind (PIK) bonds. Core rules: record purchases and sales on trade date, initially measure at transaction price including commissions, subsequently measure at fair value, recognize interest on step and PIK bonds using the interest method (with reserves when income is not expected to be realized), and record dividends on the ex-dividend date. It also prescribes the treatment of capital infusions, workout expenditures, and writeoffs of purchased versus accrued interest.

This subtopic tells investment companies how (and whether) to apply the equity method of Topic 323. The general rule is that an investment company does not use the equity method for its noncontrolling ownership interests; instead it measures those investments at fair value under Subtopic 946-320. The one exception is an investment in an operating entity that provides services to the investment company (e.g., an investment adviser or transfer agent), which is accounted for under the equity method if it otherwise qualifies.

This subtopic tells an investment company how to account for its "other investments" (investments other than debt and equity securities). Such investments are initially measured at transaction price, including commissions and other charges that are part of the purchase transaction, and are subsequently measured at fair value. Its scope mirrors the investment company Overall Subtopic scope in Section 946-10-15.

This Subtopic gives presentation guidance for liabilities in an investment company's statement of assets and liabilities. It requires accounts payable to be broken out separately for investment securities purchased and for capital stock reacquired, and describes what falls into "other liabilities." Foreign-currency payables are translated at current exchange rates and may be grouped with the corresponding functional currency payables.

This subtopic gives investment companies the income tax accounting and reporting rules unique to their industry. Its core rules are narrow: any provision for deferred income taxes on unrealized appreciation must be charged against the unrealized gains account (946-740-35-1) and disclosed as such in the statement of operations (946-740-50-1). Implementation guidance addresses regulated investment companies' post-October capital and foreign currency loss deferrals and how they factor into deferred tax disclosures.

This Subtopic tells an investment company (as defined in Topic 946) when consolidation applies. The general rule: an investment company does not consolidate an investee that is not itself an investment company, even if it holds a controlling financial interest; instead that interest is measured at fair value under Subtopic 946-320. The one exception is a controlling financial interest in an operating entity that provides services to the investment company (e.g., an investment adviser or transfer agent), which must be consolidated.

ASC 946-20 governs specific "investment company activities" — payments by affiliates to reimburse fund losses or cure investment-restriction violations, Rule 12b-1 distribution plans, expense limitation/waiver arrangements, offering costs, shareholder and distribution transactions, and related presentation and disclosure. Its core rules: affiliate payments and gains/losses on non-conforming investments are combined in one line within net realized/unrealized gains (losses) and quantified in the financial highlights (946-20-45-1; 946-20-50-2); a fund with an enhanced 12b-1 plan (or a board-contingent plan once the board commits) accrues a liability and expense for the distributor's excess distribution costs (946-20-25-3), while an excess of fees collected over distributor costs may never be booked as an asset (946-20-45-2). Offering costs are charged to paid-in capital for closed-end funds, partnerships and unit investment trusts, but deferred and amortized straight-line over 12 months for open-end funds and continuously offered closed-end funds (946-20-25-5 through 25-6; 35-5; 35-6).