What accounting standards does Chocolate Bash follow for revenue recognition?
Chocolate_Bash Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
FICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
Revenue Recognition
Revenues are primarily derived from franchise fees (one-time and recurring monthly fees). In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 606, Revenue will be recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, or services have been rendered, the seller's price to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonable assured. The determination of whether fees and fixed or determinable and collection is reasonable assured involves the use of assumptions. Arrangement terms and customer information are evaluated to ensure that these criteria are met prior to recognition of revenue.
Specifically for franchisors, The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) to ASC 606, Franchisors—'Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Subtopic 952-606): Practical Expedient' in 2021 which provides a new practical expedient that permits private company franchisors to account for preopening services provided to a franchisee as distinct from the franchise license if the services are consistent with those included in a predefined list within the guidance. The Company has elected to adopt this new standard.
Unearned Revenue
The Company's primarily performance obligation under the franchise agreement mainly includes granting certain rights to access the Company's intellectual property and a variety of activities relating to opening a franchise unit, including initial training and other such activities commonly referred to collectively as "pre-opening activities", which are recognized as a single performance obligation. The Company expects that certain pre-opening activities provided to the franchisee will not be brand specific and will provide the franchisee with relevant general business information that is separate and distinct from the operation of a company-branded franchise unit. The portion of pre-opening activities that will be provided that is not brand specific is expected to be distinct as it will provide a benefit to the franchisee and is expected not to be highly interrelated or interdependent to the access of the Company's intellectual property, and therefore will be accounted for as a separate distinct performance obligation. All other pre-opening activities are expected to be highly interrelated and interdependent to the access of the Company's intellectual property and therefore will be accounted for as a single performance obligation, which is satisfied by granting certain rights to access the Company's intellectual property over the term of each franchise agreement.
The Company estimates the stand-alone selling price of pre-opening activities using an adjusted market assessment approach. The Company will first allocate the initial franchise fees and the fixed consideration, under the franchise agreement to the standalone selling price of the training services that are not brand specific and the residual, if any, to the right to access the Company's intellectual property. Consideration allocated to pre-opening activities, which are not brand specific are recognized ratably as those services are rendered. Consideration allocated to pre-opening activities included under Accounting Standards Update (ASU) to ASC 606, Franchisors—'Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Subtopic 952-606): Practical Expedient' is recognized when the related services have been rendered.
The remaining franchisee fee not allocated to pre-opening activities are recorded as Unearned Revenue and will be recognized over the term of the franchise agreement.
NOTE B – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
Commitments and Contingencies
The Company may be subject to pending legal proceedings and regulatory actions in the ordinary course of business.
Source: Item 21 — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (FDD page 38)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to Chocolate Bash's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, the company prepares its financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("US GAAP"). This means Chocolate Bash records revenue when earned and expenses when incurred, adopting the calendar year as its reporting basis.
Specifically, Chocolate Bash recognizes revenue primarily from franchise fees, both one-time and recurring monthly fees. The company adheres to Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 606, which dictates that revenue is recognized when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the price is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. This determination involves assumptions about arrangement terms and customer information to ensure these criteria are met before revenue recognition.
Furthermore, Chocolate Bash has adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) to ASC 606, Franchisors—'Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Subtopic 952-606): Practical Expedient' issued in 2021. This update allows private company franchisors to account for preopening services as distinct from the franchise license if the services align with a predefined list within the guidance.
For Chocolate Bash, the primary performance obligation under the franchise agreement includes granting rights to intellectual property and pre-opening activities like initial training. The company allocates initial franchise fees to training services that are not brand specific, recognizing consideration for these services ratably as they are rendered. The remaining franchisee fee is recorded as Unearned Revenue and recognized over the term of the franchise agreement.