Question from Mal Kenny:
“Hey Martin,
When filling in my spreadsheet for all the different years, I noticed some numbers are different…
…for example, say when I look at the 2015 balance sheet for my company … beside the 2015 column is the 2014 numbers…
… when I checked the 2014 annual report for the numbers to see if they match up … they are slightly different to the numbers in the 2015 annual report in the 2014 column.
So what numbers should I use ?
Thanks heaps Mal”
Martin: Anyone else notice this issue with their firms when entering the numbers for their firm? If so, which numbers do you think you should use, and why?
Martin Turner Accounting 
Hi
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This is interesting I would like to know the answer too, I would suggest to use the figures from the relative year end reports but I am not 100%. Could the changes be from adjustments and is there any footnotes to take note of?
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I didn’t come across this issue with my company. To tell the truth I didn’t even think of comparing the figures from the actual annual report to see if they match up in the comparative view, so thanks to Mal for prompting that.
From Maria’s explanation the change in figures is either an error that is immaterial or legitimate because a change in accounting standards allowed the company to restate the figure to align with the new standard.
I would assume you use the figure from the actual annual report because that is what went out to the public and was relevant at the time. It is those reports that influence how people calculate the value of the company. However, the updated figure, may be a better faithful representation as it shows more up to date info since the accounting standard changed and how it is reported. It also allows you to compare the two yearly figures using the same standards?
Soooo in the end I am a fence-sitter and would also like to know the answer 🙂
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Hi Kym, haha, you are sitting on the fence ….
As a first comment, if the difference in the figures are small and immaterial (i.e. will not make any difference to how we view our firm), then it does not matter which ones we use.
But why are they different … ? And both years accounts are published … the 2014 numbers in the 2015 Annual Report and the 2014 numbers in the 2014 Annual Report – both annual reports are published.
So how can the numbers be different? Aren’t the numbers, well, the numbers – so how can they change over the course of a year?
Regards, Martin
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Hi, Aristocrat Leisure has differences in the 2014 figures shown in the 2014 Annual Report and the 2015 Annual Report, the same goes for 2013 figures. I have finally found a note that says comparative information has also been adjusted due to the impact of discontinued operations. The financial information relating to the discontinued operations is specified in another note. I believe this is why there is a difference in the 2014 figures reported in 2014 Annual Report and the 2015 Annual Report.
I initially thought we would populate our company’s spreadsheet using the figures from the relevant Annual Report (ie 2014 figure from 2014 Annual Report). But now I am considering that if we are to see the true reality of the business then we probably should be using the adjusted figures. Which, personally, is a bum because I will have to amend my spreadsheet. g
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