During the year, Apex Co. sold an unprofitable component of the company. The component had a net loss from operations during the period of $150,000 and its assets sold at a loss of $100,000. Apex reported income from continuing operations before taxes of $128,387. All items are taxed at 30%. How would this item appear in the income statement?

Answer: In the Apex income statement,

Income from continuing operations before taxes $128,387

Taxation $36,483.9

Profit for the year from continuing operations $164,870.9

Loss from discontinued

operations ($175,000)

Loss for the year ($10,129.1)

Explanation: First, there was a tax expense on the profit from continuing operations to the tune of $38,516.1 (30% of $128,387) because the company made a gain. Subsequently, there was a deferred tax asset on the loss sustained on discontinued operations of $75,000 therefore resulting in tax asset of $36,483.9.

There is usually a need to report the profit from continuing operations separately from that of discontinued operations so that actual profit and cash flows from continuing operations can be easily recognizable from that of discontinued operations. In that way, the users of the financial statements would be able to distinguish between the two profit lines.