Pooling Method

Balance Sheet

    1. Assets and liabilities are recorded at book value.  (Note: Net assets are not affected by the number of shares issued to effect a pooling.)
    2. Capital stock is the capital stock of the issuing company (or parent).
    3. Retained earnings balances are combined.
    4. The additional paid-in capital of the pooled entity is equal to any excess of total paid-in capital of the combining  entities at eh time of pooling over the capital stock of the issuing company immediately after the pooling.


    Balances on December 31, 1999

    Corporation A
    Corporation B
    Cash
    3,000
    1,000
    Plant Assets
    29,000
    11,000
    Accounts Payable
    8,800
    5,000
    Common Stock ($10 par)
    15,000
    3,000
    Other Paid-in Capital
    3,000
    1,200
    Retained Earnings
    5,200
    2,800

    Example A: On January 1, 2000, Corp. A issues 400 shares of its capital stock for all of Corp. B capital stock and Corp. B is dissolved, the entry to record the pooling is:
     
    Cash   1,000
    Plant Assets 11,000
       Accounts payable 5,000
       Capital Stock 4,000
       Other paid in capital    200*
       Retained earnings 2,800
    * With 200 recorded as other paid-in capital, the total credit to paid in capital is 4,200 which is the same total as Corp. B paid in capital on December 31, 1999.

    Example B: On January 1, 2000, Corp. A issues 500 shares of its capital stock for all of Corp. B capital stock and Corp. B is dissolved, the entry to record the pooling is:
     
    Cash   1,000
    Plant Assets 11,000
    Other paid-in capital**      800
       Accounts Payable 5,000
       Capital Stock 5,000
       Retained earnings 2,800
    ** Other paid in capital is reduced by excess of the credit to capital stock over the total paid in capital of Corp. B.

    Example C: On January 1, 2000, Corp. A issues 800 shares of its capital stock for all of Corp. B capital stock and Corp. B is dissolved, the entry to record the pooling is:
     
    Cash   1,000
    Plant Assets 11,000
    Other paid-in capital   3,000
       Accounts Payable 5,000
       Capital Stock 8,000
       Retained Earnings 2,000***
    *** The credit to R/E is reduced by the excess  ($800) of capital stock of the issuing company immediately after the pooling over total paid-in capital of the combining companies at the time of the pooling. Immediately after the pooling, capital stock in this example after the pooling is the $15,000 original plus the $8,000 par value of new shares for a total of $23,000.  At the time of pooling, total paid in capital of the two companies was only $22,200.  Company A was $18,000 (15,000+3,000) and Company B was $4,200 (3,000+1,200).  So, if we are putting $800 too much in paid in capital, it must come out of Retained Earnings in order to stay in balance.  That is, we use the Company B paid in capital and if that isn't sufficient, we use additional paid in capital of company A and finally we debit Retained Earnings if necessary.