Judgements, estimates and assumptions

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements was based on a number of judgements, estimates and assumptions that had an effect on the measurement and presentation of the reported assets, liabilities, income and expenses as well as contingent liabilities.

Judgements

Information on the key judgements that materially affected the amounts reported in these consolidated financial statements relate to the following circumstances or note disclosures:

• Classification of leases as finance leases or operating leases – including sale-and-leaseback transactions (no. 2 – other operating income and no. 21 – property, plant and equipment)
• Determination whether METRO is the principal or agent in sales transactions (no. 1 – revenues)
• Determination of the group of investments accounted for at-equity by assessing the material influence

Estimates and assumptions

Information on estimates and underlying assumptions with significant effects on these consolidated financial statements relates to the following circumstances or is included in the following notes:

• Uniform group-wide determination of expected useful lives for assets with a definite useful life (no. 15 – depreciation/amortisation/impairment losses, no. 20 – other intangible assets and no. 21 – property, plant and equipment)
• Impairment testing of assets with a definite useful life triggered by indications of impairment (no. 15 – depreciation/amortisation/impairment losses, no. 20 – other intangible assets and no. 21 – property, plant and equipment)
• Annual goodwill impairment tests including sensitivity analysis (no. 19 – goodwill)
• Recoverability of receivables – particularly receivables due from suppliers with respect tocompensations (no. 24 – other financial and other non-financial assets)
• Recognition of supplier compensation on an accrual basis (no. 24 – other financial and other non-financial assets)
• Ability to realise future deferred tax assets– particularly from tax loss carry-forwards (no. 25 – deferred tax assets/deferred tax liabilities)
• Measurement of inventories (no. 26 – inventories)
• Determination of provisions for post-employment benefits plans (no. 32 – provisions for post-employment benefits plans and similar obligations)
• Determination of other provisions – for example, for deficient rental coverage and onerous contracts, restructuring, warranties, taxes and risks emerging from legal proceedings and litigation (no. 33 – other provisions [non-current]/provisions [current])
• Estimation of the expected timing of transactions in connection with activities not continued; with regard to the planned disposal of the hypermarket business, also taking into account events and circumstances that lead to an extension of the period required to complete the sale and are beyond the control of METRO (no. 30 – assets held for sale/liabilities related to assets held for sale)
• Determination of the fair value of the hypermarket business disposal group (no. 30 – assets held for sale/liabilities related to assets held for sale)
• Estimation of the probability of utilisation from supplier liabilities (no. 35 – trade liabilities)

Although great care has been taken in making these estimates and assumptions, actual measurements may deviate from them in individual cases. The estimates and assumptions used in the consolidated financial statements are regularly reviewed. Changes are taken into account at the time new information becomes available.