Investimentos avaliados pelo método da equivalência patrimonial: erro na contabilização de dividendos quando existem lucros não realizados

Abstract

Whenever there are commercial transactions involving investees and investors, the figure of unrealized profit may come up. When the subsidiary sells any asset to the controlling company with a profit, and the latter has not sold it yet to a third part, it is said that, for the economic group, this profit has not been realized yet. It may happen that the subsidiary distributes this profit and, thus, the controlling company will receive dividends early. This study deals with accounting practices of financial statements when this profit is distributed, as well as how these anticipated dividends should be presented on the individual statements of controlling company and subsidiary; it also treats possibility of reflex in the consolidated financial statements. As this subject has not been discussed in the accounting sphere, neither has it been included in Brazilian legislation nor technical literature, this research aims to contribute to the subject by seeking to answer three questions: the first is related to the adequacy or not of the current accounting treatment of dividends from profits that have not been realized yet by the economic group. The second question seeks alternatives to the adequate accounting treatment of these dividends. The third refers to the presentation of financial statements in case of dividend payment from unrealized profits.