qualifying asset

This Subtopic gives mining-specific guidance on accounting for mineral rights and mining assets within Property, Plant, and Equipment. It clarifies that undeveloped land does not qualify for interest capitalization, how mineral resource asset current costs are measured when current cost disclosures are provided, and—most importantly—that impairment cash flow estimates for mining assets must include value beyond proven and probable reserves (with the related development and extraction outflows) and must reflect market-participant assumptions about mineral price fluctuations.

ASC 835-20 requires interest cost incurred while a qualifying asset is being readied for its intended use to be capitalized as part of the asset's historical cost, on the theory that such interest is an avoidable cost caused by the acquisition. Qualifying assets include assets constructed for an entity's own use, discrete projects built for sale or lease, and equity-method investments in investees that have not yet begun planned principal operations; routinely mass-produced inventory, assets already in use or idle, and gift/grant-funded assets are excluded. The amount capitalized equals the capitalization rate (rate on specific new borrowing, then weighted average of other borrowings) applied to average accumulated expenditures, capped at total interest cost incurred in the period.

This Subtopic tells federal government contractors when interest cost may (and may not) be capitalized. Because assets built under contracts where revenue is recognized over time are "employed in the earnings activities" of the contractor (and often involve routinely produced inventories), interest capitalization is prohibited for those long-term contracts. Only when revenue is recognized at a point in time and fulfillment costs are capitalized as an asset under Subtopic 340-40 can those costs be qualifying assets for interest capitalization, and then the investment is limited to uncollected receivables net of related non-interest-bearing liabilities.

This short subtopic tells film producers and distributors how to handle interest costs incurred while a film is being produced. The rule is simple: interest costs related to film production are accounted for under the general interest-capitalization guidance in Subtopic 835-20 (835-926-25-1). Its scope follows the Entertainment—Films overall scope in Section 926-10-15.