Significant accounting policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Significant accounting policies
Significant accounting policies	2. Significant accounting policies (a) Basis of preparation These unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“US GAAP”). They include the accounts of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated and its subsidiaries from their respective dates of formation or acquisition. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. Certain information and footnote disclosure required by US GAAP for complete annual financial statements have been omitted and, therefore, these unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements follow the same accounting policies and methods of application as our most recent annual audited consolidated financial statements except as described in Note 2(b) “ New and amended accounting standards and accounting policies”. In the opinion of management, these unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, which are necessary to present fairly, in all material respects, the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations, cash flows and changes in equity for the interim periods presented. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. On February 24, 2022, the geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe intensified with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sharply affecting economic and global financial markets. Subsequent economic sanctions of Russia have exacerbated ongoing economic challenges, including issues such as rising inflation and global supply chain disruption. The Company does not have any direct or significant operations in Russia or Ukraine, or any material operations in neighboring countries and only has limited number of direct customers in the effected region. The extent of the ongoing impacts of the conflict on our operational and financial performance, including our ability to execute on our business strategies and initiatives and sustain our operations in Europe and globally, will depend on future developments, including the continued evolvement of military activity and sanctions imposed with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Given the evolving nature of the crisis, the Company cannot currently reasonably estimate the impacts of the conflict on its business operations, results of operations, cash flows or financial performance. Reclassification Certain amounts in the prior period financial statements have been reclassified from selling, general and administrative expenses to cost of services for certain employee costs related to equipment inspections to conform to the presentation of the current period financial statements. 2. Significant accounting policies (continued) (b) New and amended accounting standards and accounting policies New accounting policies Sale and leaseback The transfer of the asset shall not be accounted for as a sale if the leaseback would be classified as a finance lease or a sales-type lease. For sale and leaseback transactions, the Company applies the requirements of ASC 606 Revenue from Contracts with Customers to determine whether the transfer of the asset should be accounted for as a sale and applies ASC 842 Leases when accounting for the sale and leaseback transactions. If the transfer of the asset is a sale, the Company derecognizes the underlying asset and recognizes the gain on sale of property, plant and equipment. The Company recognizes a lease obligation arising from the leaseback and the corresponding ROU asset. If the fair value of the consideration for the sale of an asset does not equal the fair value of the asset, or if the payments for the lease are not at market rates, the Company will make adjustments to measure the sale proceeds at fair value. Any below-market terms are accounted for as a prepayment of lease payments and any above- market terms are accounted for as additional financing provided by the buyer-lessor. If the transaction does not qualify for sale and leaseback accounting treatment, and control of the asset has not transferred, then the asset is not derecognized, and no gain or loss is recorded as the transaction is accounted for as a financing transaction. New and amended accounting standards In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers. The update primarily addresses the accounting for contract assets and contract liabilities from revenue contracts with customers acquired in a business combination. The update requires that an acquirer recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with ASC 606 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers, whereas prior to the adoption of the update, contract assets acquired and contract liabilities assumed in a business combination were recognized at fair value on the acquisition date. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption of the amendments is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. An entity that early adopts in an interim period should apply the amendments (1) retrospectively to all business combinations for which the acquisition date occurs on or after the beginning of the fiscal year that includes the interim period of early application and (2) prospectively to all business combinations that occur on or after the date of initial application. The Company has early adopted the update as of October 1, 2021 and therefore has applied the amendments to all acquisitions completed since January 1, 2021, which includes only the acquisition of SmartEquip, which was completed on November 2, 2021.

Significant accounting policies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

2. Significant accounting policies

(a) Basis of preparation

These unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“US GAAP”). They include the accounts of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated and its subsidiaries from their respective dates of formation or acquisition. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Certain information and footnote disclosure required by US GAAP for complete annual financial statements have been omitted and, therefore, these unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements follow the same accounting policies and methods of application as our most recent annual audited consolidated financial statements except as described in Note 2(b) “ New and amended accounting standards and accounting policies”. In the opinion of management, these unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, which are necessary to present fairly, in all material respects, the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations, cash flows and changes in equity for the interim periods presented. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

On February 24, 2022, the geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe intensified with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sharply affecting economic and global financial markets. Subsequent economic sanctions of Russia have exacerbated ongoing economic challenges, including issues such as rising inflation and global supply chain disruption. The Company does not have any direct or significant operations in Russia or Ukraine, or any material operations in neighboring countries and only has limited number of direct customers in the effected region. The extent of the ongoing impacts of the conflict on our operational and financial performance, including our ability to execute on our business strategies and initiatives and sustain our operations in Europe and globally, will depend on future developments, including the continued evolvement of military activity and sanctions imposed with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Given the evolving nature of the crisis, the Company cannot currently reasonably estimate the impacts of the conflict on its business operations, results of operations, cash flows or financial performance.

Reclassification

Certain amounts in the prior period financial statements have been reclassified from selling, general and administrative expenses to cost of services for certain employee costs related to equipment inspections to conform to the presentation of the current period financial statements.

2. Significant accounting policies (continued)

(b) New and amended accounting standards and accounting policies

New accounting policies

Sale and leaseback

The transfer of the asset shall not be accounted for as a sale if the leaseback would be classified as a finance lease or a sales-type lease. For sale and leaseback transactions, the Company applies the requirements of ASC 606 Revenue from Contracts with Customers to determine whether the transfer of the asset should be accounted for as a sale and applies ASC 842 Leases when accounting for the sale and leaseback transactions. If the transfer of the asset is a sale, the Company derecognizes the underlying asset and recognizes the gain on sale of property, plant and equipment. The Company recognizes a lease obligation arising from the leaseback and the corresponding ROU asset. If the fair value of the consideration for the sale of an asset does not equal the fair value of the asset, or if the payments for the lease are not at market rates, the Company will make adjustments to measure the sale proceeds at fair value. Any below-market terms are accounted for as a prepayment of lease payments and any above- market terms are accounted for as additional financing provided by the buyer-lessor. If the transaction does not qualify for sale and leaseback accounting treatment, and control of the asset has not transferred, then the asset is not derecognized, and no gain or loss is recorded as the transaction is accounted for as a financing transaction.

New and amended accounting standards

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers. The update primarily addresses the accounting for contract assets and contract liabilities from revenue contracts with customers acquired in a business combination. The update requires that an acquirer recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with ASC 606 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers, whereas prior to the adoption of the update, contract assets acquired and contract liabilities assumed in a business combination were recognized at fair value on the acquisition date. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption of the amendments is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. An entity that early adopts in an interim period should apply the amendments (1) retrospectively to all business combinations for which the acquisition date occurs on or after the beginning of the fiscal year that includes the interim period of early application and (2) prospectively to all business combinations that occur on or after the date of initial application. The Company has early adopted the update as of October 1, 2021 and therefore has applied the amendments to all acquisitions completed since January 1, 2021, which includes only the acquisition of SmartEquip, which was completed on November 2, 2021.