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Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 125 (SFAS 125), Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of Liabilities, introduced a control‐oriented “financial‐components” approach. SFAS 125 provided guidelines on when financial assets should be removed from the balance sheet (derecognized) and the resulting gain or loss recognized. Stated differently, when certain conditions were met, the transfer of financial assets was considered a sales (or derecognition) transaction and should have been treated accordingly. Even when financial assets were not considered sold (derecognized), SFAS 125 specified conditions, that when met, required specific measurement and disclosure of financial assets (different from normal borrowing transactions). Repurchase contract conditions in most cases were subject to different accounting treatments according to SFAS 125; they were not to be treated as sales transactions.

To explain the new rules, forms, and amendments to current rules and forms (Final Rule) that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has adopted to modernize the reporting of information provided by registered investment companies (funds) and to improve the quality and type of information that funds provide to the SEC and investors.

Discusses the background leading up to the Final Rule, provides an overview and summary of the Final Rule’s key components, and highlights issues that may be raised by the new reporting regime.

The Final Rule will have a significant effect on many funds. Funds will experience a substantially increased reporting burden with respect to both the frequency of reporting and the granularity of information required.

Fund managers and fund service providers should begin to evaluate the impact of the Final Rule, the processes that will need to be implemented to prepare filings on new forms, and the changes in fund disclosure practices that will be required in response to the amendments to certain forms.

Practical guidance from financial services lawyers specializing in the investment management industry.

The purpose of this study is to investigate which of the two carbon allowance allocation methods (CAAMs), i.e. grandfathered system carbon allowance allocation (GCAA) and baseline system carbon allowance allocation (BCAA), is more beneficial to capital-constrained supply chains under the carbon emission allowance repurchase strategy (CEARS).

Adopting CEARS to ease the capital-constrained supply chains, this study develops two-period game models with manufacturers as leaders and retailers as followers from the perspective of profit and social welfare maximization under two CAAMs (GCAA and BCAA), where the first period produces normal products, and the second period produces low-carbon products.

First, higher carbon-saving can better use CEARS and achieve a higher supply chain profit under the two CAAMs. However, the higher the end-of-period carbon price is, the lower the social welfare is. Second, when carbon-saving is small, GCAA achieves both economic and environmental benefits; BCAA reduces carbon emissions at the expense of economic benefit. Third, the supply chain members gain higher profits and social welfare under GCAA, so the government and supply chain members are more inclined to choose GCAA.

By analyzing the profits and total carbon emissions of capital-constrained supply chains under GCAA and BCAA, this study provides theoretical references for retailers and capital-constrained manufacturers. In addition, by comparing the difference in social welfare under GCAA and BCAA, it provides a basis for the government to choose a reasonable CAAM.

This study aims to critically analyze the fundamentals of the current major Islamic Finance (IF) instruments and contracts in light of both the foundations of IF and the concept of substance over form in the accounting conceptual framework. Such analysis is believed to be necessarily for the IF institutions to provide better and more genuine service to their customers.

To achieve the study purpose, the methodology is based on theoretical analysis and analytical review of the major IF contracts.

The IF industry needs to focus on the economic substance of the products offered to their clients. In developing and promoting their products, IF institutions need to focus on the ultimate and substantial goals of Islamic Sharia rather than re-packaging existing conventional products under different arrangements and formats to make them appear as Sharia-compliant to their clients. Both religious scholars and IF professionals need to engage in much deeper analysis and understanding of the substantial design of IF instruments and the concept of usury in modern economy.

This paper does not intend to develop a comprehensive framework for the design of IF instruments to meet the economic substance and ultimate goals of IF principles or measure such economic substance. However, that is definitely a subject for further research.

By applying concepts like substance over form from other business fields such as the accounting theoretical framework to the IF instruments and contracts, we should gain better understanding and practical implications of these instruments and figure out ways to improve their design to be more consistent with and better serve the ultimate goals of the Islamic Sharia.

The purpose of this paper is to explain three new rules FINRA has proposed as part of the process of developing a consolidated rulebook: Rules 4314 (Securities Loans and Borrowings), Rule 4330 (Customer Protection – Permissible Use of Customer Securities), and Rule 4340 (Callable Securities).

The paper explains Rule 4314, which sets forth the requirements for a member firm that is a party to an agreement for the loan or borrowing of securities; Rule 4330, which governs the borrowing or lending of a customer's margin securities that are eligible to be pledged or loaned; and Rule 4340, which establishes the obligations of a member as to callable securities in its possession or control.

Broker‐dealers engaging in securities lending activities will need to review their agreements, disclosures and recordkeeping procedures in order to comply with the proposed rules upon their adoption, particularly those who may engage in such activities involving fully paid and excess margin securities. As to the proposed new rule on callable securities in their possession and control, broker‐dealers will need to review their recordkeeping procedures and consider whether they want to adopt more flexible procedures on allocations involving partially redeemed or called securities.

The paper provides practical guidance from experienced securities lawyers.

Materiality is a critical and challenging auditing concept. To help auditors improve their materiality judgments, the authors provide examples from Judaism, primarily due to its longevity and the richness and variety of its stories. The authors show how Judaism interprets and applies materiality in many contexts. For each, the authors provide guidance on how auditors might apply these lessons to improve their materiality judgments. The authors examine five areas where Judaic examples can inform modern auditing including: (1) considering both quantitative and qualitative measures; (2) recognizing that small quantitative changes can lead to material qualitative effects; (3) understanding that ignoring small issues can become a slippery slope; (4) considering the importance of financial statement users’ needs in developing materiality criteria; and (5) prioritizing substance over form. In all examples, context is a critical factor to consider when applying materiality. These results should be of interest to auditors, financial statement users and others.

To explain proposed rules recently issued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that would dramatically expand both public and non-public reporting of portfolios and other data by US registered investment companies. A companion article covers new reports proposed at the same time for investment advisers that file Form ADV with the SEC.

Explains how the proposed rules intend to rescind Form N-Q and adopt a new portfolio holding form, Form N-PORT, which would require expansive monthly portfolio and risk reporting; describes amendments to Regulation S-X which would both enhance and standardize derivatives disclosures in fund financial statements; and details the reporting requirements for a new annual ‘census-style’ reporting form, Form N-CEN, which would replace an obsolete existing SEC form, Form N-SAR.

While it still remains to be seen how the final rules will be written, it is clear that US registered investment companies will be subject to broader reporting requirements. Investment companies are likely to incur increased costs due to the detailed nature of the information being requested and the frequency with which they will be required to file. Access to additional and enhanced information will have consequences for investment companies with respect to SEC examinations and enforcement activity.

Senior management and boards of investment companies should understand the basic framework of the proposed requirements. An operations and finance working group may need to be established by companies in order to coordinate the planning and preparation process for the requirements. Firms also should determine whether their service providers have the necessary resources to assist in complying with the proposed filing requirements.

Practical guidance from experienced investment funds lawyer.