Financial Reporting Standard B-5 (NIF B-5), entitled “Financial Information by Segments,” establishes the guidelines for economic entities to disclose detailed information about their different operating segments.

 The main objective of this standard is to provide users of financial statements with a clearer and more precise view of the various activities that make up an entity, thus facilitating better decision-making.

Objective and Scope of NIF B-5

NIF B-5 seeks to ensure that entities identify and disclose financial information about their operating segments in a consistent and transparent manner. This disclosure allows users to evaluate the nature and financial effects of the business activities carried out by the entity in different economic environments. The standard is applicable to all entities that issue financial statements, especially those that are listed on public markets or are in the process of doing so.

Key Definitions

For a correct application of NIF B-5, it is essential to understand the following definitions:

• Operating Segment: It is a component of the entity that:
  • Carry out business activities that generate income and incur expenses.
  • Its results are regularly reviewed by the entity's highest operational decision-making authority.
  • Specific financial information is available.
• Highest Authority in Operational Decision Making: Refers to the individual or group responsible for allocating resources and evaluating the performance of operating segments.

Criteria for Identifying Reporting Segments

NIF B-5 establishes qualitative and quantitative criteria to determine which operating segments should be reported separately:

• Quantitative Criteria: A segment must be reported if it meets at least one of the following conditions:
  • Its revenues represent at least 10% of the entity's total revenues.
  • Its results (profit or loss) represent at least 10% of the total results of all operating segments.
  • Its assets are at least 10% of the entity's total assets.
• Qualitative Criteria: Even if a segment does not meet the quantitative criteria, it should be reported if management considers that its information is important to users of the financial statements.

Segment Disclosures

NIF B-5 requires entities to disclose, for each reportable segment, at least the following information:

• General Information:
  • Factors used to identify operating segments.
  • Types of products and services in each segment.
• Financial Information:
  • Income from external and internal customers.
  • Operating expenses.
  • Segment profit or loss.
  • Segment assets and liabilities.
  • Depreciation and amortization expenses.
  • Interest expense and other significant income or expenses.

Benefits of applying NIF B-5

The implementation of NIF B-5 offers multiple advantages:

• Transparency: Provides a detailed view of the entity's different business areas, allowing users to better understand their performance.
• Comparability: Facilitates comparison between entities operating in similar industries by standardizing the presentation of information by segments.
• Decision making: Provides management and investors with valuable information for resource allocation and performance evaluation of each segment.

Final Considerations

IFRS B-5 is an essential tool for improving the quality and usefulness of financial information presented by entities. By providing details on the different operating segments, greater transparency and understanding of the entity's financial performance is promoted. It is essential that organizations adopt this standard effectively, ensuring that the information disclosed is complete, accurate and relevant to users of the financial statements.

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