Reporting

Forecasting & Budgeting

Finance is expected to deliver accurate and descriptive forward-looking estimates of compensation expense and shares used for basic/diluted EPS. Expectations are trending toward higher granularity and lower tolerance levels for unexplainable variances. But stock-based compensation, with all its moving parts, is a tough item to forecast.

Services

We provide customized forecasting across all reporting categories of interest: expense, diluted EPS, basic EPS, tax windfalls and shortfalls, and new award designs being considered. Key components of our forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis solutions include the following:

Compensation expense tracking

  • Against annual budget or operating plan (AOP)
  • By detailed indicative data categories each month or quarter
  • By current latest estimate (LE)

Future period compensation expense forecasting

  • Multiple forecasts of varying time horizons and levels of granularity (e.g., cost center level, P&L segment level, etc.)
  • Automated budget-to-actual variance analyses that identify and quantify the key drivers (e.g., more forfeitures than planned)
  • Special circumstances, including retirement eligibility, post-vest holding period restrictions, and impact of expected tax deductions
  • Estimates of hypothetical future grants using various approaches to more accurately mimic expected future granting behavior
  • Fully customized scenario analytics to incorporate uncertainty, including performance and market outcomes, tax rate changes, and modifications

Forecast to actual comparisons

  • Automation of budget-to-actual variance analysis process to identify and quantify key variance drivers (e.g., more forfeitures than planned)
  • Automation of flux analysis to inform stakeholders of expense trending and identify unusual expense movements
  • Summary and detailed analytics to meet needs of varying stakeholders within your organization

Custom analysis needs

  • Impact of adding new retirement provisions
  • P&L implications of new grant types (e.g., performance/market, liability awards, etc.)
  • Modifications (e.g., terminations, resetting performance targets, etc.)

Basic and diluted shares forecasting

  • Modeling of settlement timing and price on outstanding awards, as well as flow-through impact to Basic Shares and Dilutive Shares (per treasury stock method)
  • Scenario analysis to capture timing and settlement price uncertainty
  • Flexible formats to enhance usability of forecast reports

Tax settlement forecasting

  • Settlement timing and price on outstanding awards to produce a waterfall of expected tax windfalls and shortfalls
  • Scenario analysis to capture timing and settlement price uncertainty
  • Reconcile expense and tax settlement forecasts to assist with Schedule M-1 production
  • Read more about tax settlement forecasting here

Get better insight and avoid accounting surprises while staying firmly in control of your forecasting and budgeting process.

contact us

Meet Our Experts

Amit Tekwani

Managing Director and Financial Reporting Practice Leader

Raenelle James

Managing Director, Financial Reporting Services

Daniel Hunninghake, CPA

Managing Director, Financial Reporting Services

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