APB opinion

APB Opinion

An official opinion by the Accounting Principles Board on how to report a transaction. APB opinions set standards for the accounting industry and helped establish uniform practice insofar as it was possible. APB opinions have not been issued since 1973, when the APB was replaced by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. See also: FASB opinion.

APB opinion

A determination by the former Accounting Principles Board regarding the way a certain financial transaction is to be treated for reporting purposes. For example, APB Opinion 15 sets forth the ways in which convertible issues and common-stock equivalents are to be used in calculating earnings per share. In 1973 the Accounting Principles Board was superseded by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, thereby halting further APB opinions and initiating FASB Statements.