Indicators
Check all indicators that apply to the entity. Severity levels reflect their weight under ISA 570.A2. Expand any indicator to see the working paper guidance and likely review challenge.
ISA 570 Going Concern Reference Card — free PDF
All 19 ISA 570 indicators with severity ratings, review challenges, and auditor response guidance. One page for your planning folder. Plus one practical audit insight per week.
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Going Concern Assessment: Retail
Retail entities are particularly vulnerable to going concern risk because of their high fixed-cost structure (primarily store leases and staff), thin margins, and sensitivity to consumer spending patterns. A decline in foot traffic, a shift to online competitors, or a failed seasonal trading period can rapidly consume cash reserves. The interaction between lease obligations under IFRS 16 and declining revenue is a common trigger for going concern concerns.
Key risk factors: Retail
Key retail going concern indicators include: negative same-store sales trends over consecutive periods, inability to renew or exit onerous store leases, increasing reliance on supplier credit or overdraft facilities, seasonal cash flow dependency where a poor Christmas or peak trading period cannot be recovered, and loss of key concessions or franchise agreements. For fashion and seasonal retailers, the risk of inventory obsolescence adds a valuation dimension to the going concern assessment.
Same-store sales trends (excluding new openings) are the most reliable indicator of underlying performance — two or more consecutive quarters of decline warrant close scrutiny of cash flow projections.
Lease obligations under IFRS 16 create significant fixed commitments — assess whether the entity can meet lease payments from operations, and whether landlords have agreed or are likely to agree to rent concessions.
Supplier payment terms and trade credit availability — if suppliers are tightening terms or demanding payment on delivery, working capital will be squeezed precisely when the entity can least afford it.
Seasonal cash flow dependency — retailers that generate a disproportionate share of annual cash flow in a single period (e.g. Christmas, back-to-school) face binary risk if that period underperforms.
Online competition and channel shift — assess whether the entity's omnichannel strategy is viable or whether physical store economics are permanently impaired.
Inventory liquidation — if the entity is heavily discounting to clear stock, this signals both demand weakness and margin erosion that directly impacts cash flow forecasts.
ISA 570.9 — The auditor shall evaluate management's assessment of the entity's ability to continue as a going concern.
ISA 570.A2 — Events or conditions that may cast significant doubt include financial, operating, and other indicators.
ISA 570.16 — If events or conditions have been identified, the auditor shall obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence about whether a material uncertainty exists.