

The amount by which the inventory item was written down is recorded under cost of goods sold on the balance sheet. The regulations under section 471 allow a taxpayer to writedown its inventory to the lower value of cost or market. When the NRV of an item of inventory falls below its cost or current carrying amount, the item is written down to its NRV and the associated loss is recognized immediately in the income statement.

This value may be reduced to market value, which is defined as the middle value when comparing the cost to replace the inventory, the difference between the net realizable value and the typical profit on the item, and the net realizable value of the item. The lower of cost or market (LCM) method lets companies record losses by writing down the value of the affected inventory items. For inventory write-downs specifically, there are two primary inventory accounting methods: direct write-off and allowance method. Why Is the Lower of Cost or Market (LCM) Method Used?

Under this scenario, if the price at which the inventory may be sold dips below the net realizable value (NRV) of the item, which consequently results in a loss, then the LCM method can be employed to record the loss. Therefore, accountants evaluate inventory and employ lower of cost or net realizable value considerations. The treatment of the write-down as an expense means that both the net income and taxable income will be reduced. The LCM method takes into account that the value of a good can fluctuate.Historical cost refers to the cost of inventory at the time it was originally purchased.The lower of cost or market (LCM) method relies on the fact that when investors value a company’s inventory, those assets shall be recorded on the balance sheet at either the market value or the historical cost.
