FASB to Buffer Impact of Ban on M&A Pooling

WASHINGTON — Bowing to industry pressure, accounting standards setters on Wednesday took steps to buffer companies’ earnings statements against a proposed ban on the pooling-of-interests method of accounting for mergers and acquisitions.

In a two-page news release, the Financial Accounting Standards Board announced that it had reached “a tentative decision” to modify a controversial September 1999 proposal that would bar the pooling method in favor of purchase accounting.