What exactly did WorldCom do?
During 2001 and the first quarter of 2002, the company counted as capital investments $3.8 billion that it spent on everyday expenses. This makes a difference because capital investments are treated differently from other expenses for accounting purposes. Capital spending is money used to buy long-lasting assets, like fiber-optic cables or switches that direct telephone calls, so the cost is spread out over several years. For example, if WorldCom spent $10 million on switches it expected to last 10 years, it would book a $1 million expense for 10 years. In contrast, if it spent $10 million on office space, it has to count all of that expense in the period in which it occurred. The company says the expenses that were counted as capital expenditures involve “line costs,” which are fees WorldCom pays to other telecom players for the right to access their networks. How does this affect profits? Counting everyday expenses as capital investments boosts net income because expenses that are su
