Fixed assets revaluation in Spain: Theoretical and practical issues

Abstract

This final degree project focuses on the valuation of non financial fixed assets by Spanish listed firms, which must prepare their individual and consolidated financial statements following different sets of standards: the Spanish PGC for the individual statements and the IASs-IFRSs adopted by the EU for the consolidated accounts. Therefore, these companies have two choices as regards the revaluation of non financial fixed assets. In their individual accounts the Spanish local GAAP only allows the historical cost model, but they could choose to voluntarily adopt the ad hoc balance sheet updating regulations that the government issues from time to time, the latest in 2012. In turn, within the consolidated financial statements the companies have the option to choose the revaluation model contemplated in IASs 16 and 40 instead of the traditional historical cost model. The project describes the differences between the two sets of regulations, provides with a detailed review of the last balance sheet updating regulation, included within the Law 16/2007, and analyzes the two revaluation decisions by the companies included within the Ibex 35.