trade date accounting

This subtopic governs how broker-dealers account for investments in debt and equity securities, covering both clearance/settlement activities (General) and proprietary trading (Proprietary Trading Securities). The core rules are that all regular-way trades are reflected on a trade-date basis (320-940-25-1), and proprietary security positions — both inventory and obligations for short inventory positions — are measured initially and subsequently at fair value with unrealized gains and losses included in profit or loss (320-940-30-2, 35-1, 35-2).

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.

ASC 320-965 tells health and welfare benefit plans how to account for their investments in debt and equity securities. Such securities are reported at fair value less costs to sell (if significant) at the financial statement date, and purchases and sales are ordinarily recorded on a trade-date basis. Settlement-date accounting is permitted only if the fair value did not change significantly between trade date and financial statement date and the transactions do not significantly affect the composition of plan assets available for benefits.

This Subtopic gives depository and lending institutions the recognition and measurement rules for four narrow items: Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and Federal Reserve Bank stock, National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) deposits and premiums, regular-way securities trades, and exchange memberships. FHLB/Federal Reserve Bank stock is a restricted investment security carried at cost (no readily determinable fair value; redeemable only at $100 par) and tested for impairment based on ultimate recoverability of par, not temporary declines. NCUSIF deposits are assets only so long as they are fully refundable, and regular-way purchases and sales are recorded on the trade date.

ASC 605-940 formerly provided industry-specific revenue recognition guidance for brokers and dealers in securities (e.g., trade-date recognition of commissions and related expenses, and measurement of such revenues). Every paragraph in the subtopic — Sections 05, 15, 25 and 30 — was superseded by ASU 2014-09, so the subtopic contains no remaining operative guidance. Broker-dealer revenue from contracts with customers is now accounted for under ASC 606, with related industry implementation guidance in ASC 940-605.