10.4 Changes in working capital

in PLN millions, unless otherwise stated

Cash flows arising from interest on reverse factoring transactions are presented in cash flows from financing activities. The actually repaid principal amounts of receivables transferred to reverse factoring to a factor are presented in cash flows from operating activities, and partially also from investment activities. Moreover, the Parent Entity, as regards changes in working capital in the Statement of cash flows, presented a separate line “Change in trade payables transferred to factoring” for the purposes of clear and transparent presentation.

The Parent Entity implemented reverse factoring in the period ended on 31 December 2019 (more information may be found in Note 10.3).

Since market practice with respect to the presentation of reverse factoring transactions in the Statement of cash flows is not uniform, the Management Board had to apply its own judgment in this regard. In the case of these transactions, the Parent Entity had to make an assessment as to whether expenses related to payments towards the factor should be classified to cash flows from operating activities or to cash flows from financing activities in the statement of cash flows. Pursuant to IAS 7.11, an entity should present cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities in a manner which is most appropriate to its business, because it provides information that allows users of financial statements to assess the impact of those activities on the financial position of the entity and the amount of its cash and cash equivalents.

Due to the above, in the Parent Entity’s view:

• presentation of the repayment of the principal amounts of receivables in the reverse factoring in cash flows from operating activities is compliant with the objective of individual transaction elements and consistent with the presentation of these transactions in the Statement of financial position. When legal subrogation of receivables is made by the factor, from a legal standpoint he assumes the rights and responsibilities characteristic for trade receivables. Only cash flows from the repayment of principal amounts of receivables from liabilities due to the purchase and construction of fixed assets and intangible assets are presented under investing activities (more information may be found in Note 10.3).
• however, the financial aspect related to the factoring transaction is indicated in the presentation of interest in financing activities. This is consistent with recognising this interest in financing costs in the Statement of profit or loss pursuant to the accounting policy adopted by the Parent Entity for the presentation of interest cost of reverse factoring in the financial activities.

In December 2020, the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (Committee) published its opinion on the presentation of reverse factoring transactions in the statement of financial position and in the statement of cash flows. In its position, the Committee emphasized that the main problem requiring a decision, in terms of presenting reverse factoring transactions in the statement of cash flow under IAS 7, is to determine whether cash flows should be presented as a part of operating or financing activities. The Committee considers that the decision regarding the classification of cash flows resulting from reverse factoring transactions may result from the previously determined classification of the relevant liabilities in the statement of financial position. If an entity concludes that a liability transfer to reverse factoring is a “Trade and similar payables”, and in this way declares it as part of the working capital which is used in the core business of an entity that generates the revenues, the entity shall present the outflow from the payment for those liabilities as arising on operating activities in the Statement of cash flows. Otherwise, these cash flows should be recognised in financing activities.

Consistently with the Parent Entity’s assessment of the nature of trade payables transferred to reverse factoring and the method of their presentation in the Statement of financial position as „Trade and similar payables” (information presented in note 10.3), the Company’s judgment as to the method of presentation adopted for these transactions in the Statement of cash flows for 2019 remains unchanged and is compliant with the approach described above.