Definition: Held-to-maturity investments

Category: International accounting standards

Held-to-maturity investments are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments and fixed maturity that an entity has the positive intention and ability to hold to maturity other than:
(a) those that the entity upon initial recognition designates as at fair value through profit or loss;
(b) those that the entity designates as available for sale;
and
(c) those that meet the definition of loans and receivables.

An entity shall not classify any financial assets as held to maturity if the entity has, during the current financial year or during the two preceding financial years, sold or reclassified more than an insignificant amount of held-tomaturity investments before maturity (more than insignificant in relation to the total amount of held-to-maturity investments) other than sales or reclassifications that:
(i) are so close to maturity or the financial asset’s call date (for example, less than three months before maturity) that changes in the market rate of interest would not have a significant effect on the financial asset’s fair value;
(ii) occur after the entity has collected substantially all of the financial asset’s original principal through scheduled payments or prepayments;
or
(iii) are attributable to an isolated event that is beyond the entity’s control, is non-recurring and could not have been reasonably anticipated by the entity. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2004/l_363/l_36320041209en00010065.pdf