The maximum limitation, not to exceed the net realizable value (ceiling) covers obsolete, damaged, or shopworn material and prevents overstatement of inventories and understatement of the loss in the current period. The minimum limitation deters understatement of inventory and overstatement of the loss in the current period. 3.
1. Where there is evidence that the utility of goods to be disposed of in the ordinary course of business will be less than cost, the difference should be recognized as a loss in the current period, and the inventory should be stated at market value in the financial statements. 2.
The usual basis for carrying forward the inventory to the next period is cost. Departure from cost is required when the utility of the goods included in the inventory is less than their cost. This loss in utility should be recognized as a loss of the current period, the period in which it occurred.
4. The lower-of-cost-or-market rule may be applied directly to each item or to the total of the inventory (or in some cases, to the total of the components of each major category). The method should be the one that most clearly reflects income. The most common practice is to price the inventory on an item-by-item basis.