Question

The inventory of a large grocery store client is material, and it is the largest current asset on the balance sheet. The cost of inventory items ranges from very small amounts (like individual candy at the checkout line) to larger amounts (like prime meat and specialty deli items). Typical risks for a grocery store are theft and spoilage of inventory. During the second quarter, the client caught three employees in a scheme of stealing produce and meats from the store and selling them, at a discount, to friends and family. Based on an investigation by authorities and store management, the scheme had been operating for about two months.

Required:
Based on the information, evaluate which accounts and assertions are at risk of misstatement.

Answer 1

The auditor of the large grocery store can identify the accounts at risk of misstatement to include Inventory account, Cost of Goods Sold account, and Accounts Payable account. They have some relationships. A misstatement in the Inventory account will lead to a misstatement in the Cost of Goods Sold, which eventually affects the Net Income.

The auditor should be aware that the assertions that are at risk of misstatement include existence, completeness, accuracy and valuation, and disclosure of Inventory. Assuming that the pilfering scheme had gone on for more months, the employees could have devised more sinister schemes.

Explanation:

The management of this large grocery store must attest to the assertions of existence, completeness, rights and obligations, accuracy and valuation, and presentation and disclosure with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in the financial statements: the balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows. This implies that its management must declare that it has truthfully measured and presented the financial information about its activities.