When Financial Statements Look Right but Tell the Wrong Story

Numbers can be correct and still misleading. This session explains how IFRS 18 changes presentation and why structure and clarity now matter more than ever.

3 CPD units October 1, 2026 1 presenter

What will set you apart

By completing this course you will gain the following competencies

Why presentation affects understanding
What IFRS 18 changes in financial statements
How performance categories influence interpretation
Why consistency matters across periods
How poor presentation hides real performance
Where judgement affects clarity

Event breakdown

Purpose of IFRS 18
Structure of financial statements
Performance categories explained
Operating and financing results
Consistency across periods
Presentation choices
Common presentation mistakes
Improving clarity

Category: Financial ReportingType: CPD CourseCPD category: Financial Reporting

Description

Financial statements are often prepared to be correct, not to be understood. IFRS 18 shifts the focus toward how information is presented and interpreted. Poor structure, inconsistent categories, and weak presentation can mislead users even when the numbers are accurate. This session focuses on how IFRS 18 reshapes the presentation of financial statements and why this matters for credibility and analysis. Understanding these changes improves transparency and makes financial information easier to read and compare. This session helps ensure financial statements tell a clear and honest story, not just a technically correct one.

Presenters

Prof. Jacobus (Cobus) Rossouw CA(SA) — Prof Jacobus Rossouw CA(SA) (Cobus) was born in Bloemfontein and still has his roots planted in the beautiful Free State. He became a Chartered Accountant (SA) in 1999. In 2000, he joined the University of the Free State as a senior lecturer. He was promoted to associate professor in 2006 after obtaining his Master's degree in Financial Accounting (cum laude). Cobus specialises in the IFRS Accounting Standards (IFRSs) and the IFRS for SMEs. He is currently (since 2004) lecturing Advanced Financial Accounting to post-graduate chartered accountancy students (PGCA). Cobus's passion is lecturing in Financial Accounting and preparing his students for the world of work. He regularly acts as an external moderator for chartered accountancy programmes at the post-graduate level of other universities. In the last three years, as part of the PGCA lecturing team, he received four Learning and Teaching Awards for innovative practices. From 2005 to 2017, he was the Subject Head for Financial Accounting. Since 2016, Cobus has been the PGCA Academic Coordinator for the post-graduate year group and is responsible for the coordination of the PGCA programmes. Cobus also serves as a member of the Management Committee of the School of Accountancy of the University of the Free State. Cobus also served on numerous committees of the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences. He is the author or co-author of thirteen accredited research articles and various non-accredited articles in academic and accounting literature. He has presented (as author/co-author) more than twenty research papers at international, national and university conferences on aspects of Financial Accounting and Learning and Teaching. Furthermore, he is the author of numerous chapters in various leading financial accounting textbooks focusing on IFRSs. He has also presented more than a hundred professional update courses/seminars/webinars to practising accountants on behalf of various professional bodies.

You will earn a certificate

On successful completion you will receive a certificate for 3 CPD units in Financial Reporting.

Requirements

Laptop, desktop, or mobile device with internet access
Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari, or Firefox browser