Question 2b ii

You are a manager in Hunt & Co, a firm which offers a range of services to audit and non-audit clients. You have been asked to consider a potential engagement to review and provide a report on the prospective financial information of Waters Co, a company which has been an audit client of Hunt & Co for six years. The audit of the financial statements for the year ended 30 April 2014 has just commenced.

Waters Co operates a chain of cinemas across the country. Currently its cinemas are out of date and use projectors which cannot show films made using new technology, which are becoming more popular. Management is planning to invest in all of its cinemas in order to attract more customers. The company has sufficient cash to fund half of the necessary capital expenditure, but has approached its bank with a loan application of $8 million for the remainder of the funds required. Most of the cash will be used to invest in equipment and fittings, such as new projectors and larger screens, enabling new technology films to be shown in all cinemas. The remaining cash will be used for refurbishment of the cinemas.

The draft forecast statements of profit or loss for the years ending 30 April 2015 and 2016 are shown below, along with the key assumptions which have been used in their preparation. The unaudited statement of profit or loss for the year ended 30 April 2014 is also shown below. The forecast has been prepared for use by the bank in making its lending decision, and will be accompanied by other prospective financial information including a forecast statement of cash flows.

Year ended Note relevant Year ending Year ending
30 April 2014 to forecast 30 April 2015 30 April 2016
Unaudited information Forecast Forecast
$’000 $’000 $’000
Revenue 35,000 1 43,000 46,000
Operating expenses (28,250)
2 (31,500)
(32,100)
Operating profit 6,750 11,500 13,900
Finance costs (1,700) (2,000) (1,900)
Profit before tax
5,050

9,500

12,000

Note 1: The forecast increase in revenue is based on the following assumptions:

(i) All cinemas will be fitted with new projectors and larger screens to show new technology films by September 2014.

(ii) Ticket prices will increase from $7•50 to $10 from 1 September 2014.

Note 2: Operating expenses include mainly staff costs, depreciation of property and equipment, and repairs and maintenance to the cinemas.

The audit strategy relevant to the audit of Waters Co concludes that the company has a relatively high risk associated with money laundering, largely due to the cash-based nature of its activities. The majority of customers purchase their cinema tickets and refreshments in cash, and the company transfers its cash to overseas bank accounts on a regular basis.

Required:

(ii) Recommend FOUR elements of an anti-money laundering programme which audit firms such as Hunt& Co should have in place. (6 marks)