Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi: Current Effects of IFRS on the Pension Plans of These Companies

Chester Inc. is a client of SNHU, LLC who prepares the financial statements and financial analysis for Chester Inc. This report will detail several key items including the accounting effects of international expansion as it relates to differences between Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), the United States standards, and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the standards that would govern a portion of the financial reporting with an international expansion. This report will also review the financial performance of Chester Inc. Additionally; it will use ratio analysis to compare Chester Inc. with two of its main competitors.

9. How did the pension plan changes affect Harnischfeger’s financial statements in 1984? Are these changes likely to affect future profits?

UK’s IFRSs are designed to make it easier to compare the performance of organizations in different countries, rather than each country maintaining its own GAAP, which makes such comparisons difficult. All listed EU companies have been required to use IFRSs since 2005. The adoption of IFRSs by the private sector is expected to have various benefits for both companies and investors; including (1) UK’s IFRSs will remove the need for companies with foreign subsidiaries to translate the accounts for consolidation with the parent company accounts. Also (2) it will be easier for investors to make informed decisions about the performance of companies in different countries because of the increased transparency and a better understanding of financial statements.

Pepsi Co. and Coca Cola, both are very well known multinational companies. They are so famous that they perhaps don’t need any introduction since almost everyone knows basic info about these companies and their widely used products. Both of these companies have been dealing in the production of flavored waters, plain drinking water and soft drinks for decades now and have always been each other’s competitors in almost all the mainstream products they have been producing.

When determining which company has the most to offer it is necessary to look at each set of numbers from several different views. For instance this paper will cover vertical and horizontal analysis, profitability, solvency, and liquidity ratios. I will be explaining how each set of results play into the decision making of which company would be best to invest in, by comparing both companies numbers in able to collect the necessary data to make a calculated decision.

The analysis of a company's financial statements helps in the determination of both the weaknesses and strengths of the concerned entity. Further, such an analysis helps in the determination of the future viability of firms. There are a wide range of techniques utilized in the analysis of financial statements. In that regard, it is important to note that the relevance of a horizontal, vertical as well as ratio analysis of a company's financial statements cannot be overstated. This is more so the case when it comes to the interpretation of the various dollar amounts presented in both the balance sheet and the income statement. In this text, I carry out a horizontal, vertical as well as ratio analysis of both The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo, Inc. The analysis' results will be critical in the evaluation of each company's performance. Findings will be used as a basis for recommendations on how each company can improve its financial status.

For pensions and post-retirement accounting methods to recognize the benefit costs, estimates and assumptions on future events ascertaining the timing and amount of benefits payments must be sought first. This paper seeks to compare and contrast the early historical accounting for pensions and post-retirement healthcare and life insurance benefits with the rules and guidance applied today in addition to the changes to such guidance and rules that would improve the accounting and reporting of such benefits depending on the business and political changes and as such, predict the effect of such changes on financial reporting and accounting practices.

Coca-Cola was one of the earliest companies to adopt a cash-balance plan for their employees ever since Congress passed the Pension Protection Act in 2006.

Kvaal & Nobes, International Differences in IFRS Policy Choice (September 2, 2009). Accounting and Business

9. How did the pension plan changes affect Harnischfeger’s financial statements in 1984? Are these changes likely to affect future profits?

The most important thing is that, according to our estimation, the next five-year we will get additional funds needed increasingly with no surplus funds; which means, our assets increase faster than our liabilities. Therefore, our company goes well in the short term future based on this model. In conclusion,

Still in flux: Future of IFRS in U.S. remains unclear after SEC report. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2015, from http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Issues/2012/Sep/20126059.htm

There have been a number of proposed and upcoming changes to GAAP and solvency reporting standards in the US, Canada and Europe in recent years. In particular, significant efforts have been made to increase convergence between US GAAP and IFRS. The following report discusses the pros and cons of convergence between standards in different jurisdictions, as well as convergence between GAAP and solvency standards, in relation to insurance contracts. Here, the term ‘GAAP’ refers to financial reporting for investors, shareholders and creditors. Solvency standards refer to the regulatory requirements imposed on insurers. The jurisdictions discussed have been limited to those in which The Greatest Life Insurance Company operates in: namely, the US, Canada and Europe.

PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are fierce competitors and according to their financial statements they are both healthy companies. Therefore I would invest in Coca-Cola if I had to make the decision because it has higher income, a stronger long-term debt to networking capital ratio, steadily rising net income per common share, and a climbing and high solvency ratio. PepsiCo still shows healthy growth and outperforms Coca-Cola in many areas. I will conduct a financial analysis of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo to identify their strengths and weaknesses, ultimately deciding which one is worth the investment.

With complete notion and awareness of how each country has their set of rules, “the goal of IFRS is to provide a global framework for how public companies prepare and disclose their financial statements” (Rouse, 2011). This view is meant to provide general guidelines, as well as international comparisons through conventional and edifying means. To bring broader and vivid objectives, IFRS replaced IAS, the older standards, in order to bring a more comprehensive and simplified accounting procedures.