BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORP | 2013 | FY | 3


GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS

The gross carrying amount of goodwill and other intangible assets and the related accumulated amortization for intangible assets subject to amortization and accumulated write-offs of goodwill as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 is as follows:

 
 
As of December 31, 2013
 
As of December 31, 2012
 
 
Gross Carrying
 
Accumulated
Amortization/
 
Gross Carrying
 
Accumulated
Amortization/
(in millions)
 
Amount
 
Write-offs
 
Amount
 
Write-offs
Amortizable intangible assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Technology-related
 
$
8,272

 
$
(3,342
)
 
$
8,020

 
$
(3,005
)
Patents
 
513

 
(326
)
 
559

 
(352
)
Other intangible assets
 
845

 
(479
)
 
810

 
(428
)
 
 
$
9,630

 
$
(4,147
)
 
$
9,389

 
$
(3,785
)
Unamortizable intangible assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Goodwill
 
$
15,593

 
$
(9,900
)
 
$
15,450

 
$
(9,477
)
Technology-related
 
197

 
 
 
242

 
 
 
 
$
15,790

 
$
(9,900
)
 
$
15,692

 
$
(9,477
)


In addition, we had $270 million and $443 million of in-process research and development intangible assets as of December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. During the third quarter of 2013, we reclassified approximately $45 million of core technology not previously subject to amortization to amortizable intangible assets due to projected changes in the market for this technology. We tested the intangible asset for impairment prior to this reclassification and determined that the asset was not impaired.
2013 Reorganization
We assess goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level, which is defined as an operating segment or one level below an operating segment, referred to as a component. Effective as of January 1, 2013, we reorganized our business from geographic regions to fully operationalized global business units. Our reorganization changed our reporting structure and changed the composition of our reporting units for goodwill impairment testing purposes. Following the reorganization, based on information regularly reviewed by our chief operating decision maker, we have three new global reportable segments consisting of: Cardiovascular, Rhythm Management, and MedSurg. We determined our new global reporting units by identifying our operating segments and assessing whether any components of these segments constituted a business for which discrete financial information is available and whether segment management regularly reviews the operating results of any components. Through this process, we identified the following new global reporting units effective as of January 1, 2013: Interventional Cardiology, Peripheral Interventions, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Electrophysiology, Endoscopy, Urology and Women's Health, and Neuromodulation. The discussion below for 2013 relates to our global business reporting units and for 2012 and prior periods, relates to our former regional reporting units. For our 2012 and 2011 assessments, we identified (i) six reporting units within the U.S., which included our CRM, Neuromodulation, Endoscopy, Urology and Women's Health, Electrophysiology, and Cardiovascular (consisting of Interventional Cardiology and Peripheral Interventions) franchises, and (ii) four international reporting units, including EMEA, Japan, Asia Pacific and the Americas.
To determine the amount of goodwill within our new global reporting units, on a relative fair value basis we reallocated $1.764 billion of goodwill previously allocated to our former Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific, Japan, and Americas international reporting units to our new global reporting units. In addition, we reallocated the goodwill previously allocated to the former U.S. divisional reporting units to each respective new global reporting unit, with the exception of the goodwill allocated to the former U.S. Cardiovascular reporting unit. The $2.380 billion of goodwill allocated to the former U.S. Cardiovascular reporting unit was reallocated between the new global Interventional Cardiology and global Peripheral Interventions reporting units on a relative fair value basis.
The following represents our goodwill balance by new global reportable segment. We restated the prior period information to conform to the current presentation:
(in millions)
 
Cardiovascular
 
Rhythm Management
 
MedSurg
 
Total
Balance as of December 31, 2011
 
$
4,542

 
$
1,661

 
$
3,558

 
$
9,761

Purchase price adjustments
 

 
(1
)
 

 
(1
)
Goodwill acquired
 
186

 
327

 
50

 
563

Goodwill written off
 
(1,479
)
 
(1,410
)
 
(1,461
)
 
(4,350
)
Balance as of December 31, 2012
 
$
3,249

 
$
577

 
$
2,147

 
$
5,973

Purchase price adjustments
 
3

 

 

 
3

Goodwill acquired
 

 
140

 

 
140

Goodwill written off
 

 
(423
)
 

 
(423
)
Balance as of December 31, 2013
 
$
3,252

 
$
294

 
$
2,147

 
$
5,693


The 2012 and 2013 purchase price adjustments relate primarily to adjustments in taxes payable and deferred income taxes, including changes in the liability for unrecognized tax benefits.
Goodwill Impairment Testing and Charges
2013 Charges
We test our goodwill balances during the second quarter of each year for impairment, or more frequently if indicators are present or changes in circumstances suggest that impairment may exist. Following our reorganization from regions to global business units and our reallocation of goodwill on a relative fair value basis, we conducted the first step of the goodwill impairment test for all new global reporting units as of January 1, 2013. The first step requires a comparison of the carrying value of the reporting units to the fair value of these units. The fair value of each new global reporting unit exceeded its carrying value, with the exception of the global CRM reporting unit. The global CRM reporting unit carrying value exceeded its fair value primarily due to the carrying value of its amortizable intangible assets. The carrying value of amortizable intangible assets allocated to the global CRM reporting unit was $4.636 billion as of January 1, 2013. In accordance with ASC Topic 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other, we tested the global CRM amortizable intangible assets for impairment in conjunction with the interim goodwill impairment test of our global CRM reporting unit. We performed the impairment analysis of the amortizable intangible assets on an undiscounted cash flow basis, and concluded that these assets were not impaired.
The second step of the goodwill impairment test compares the estimated fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill to its carrying value. We performed the second step of the goodwill impairment test on the global CRM reporting unit and recorded a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $423 million ($421 million after-tax) to write-down the goodwill to its implied fair value as of January 1, 2013. The primary driver of this impairment charge was our reorganization from geographic regions to global business units as of January 1, 2013, which changed the composition of our reporting units. As a result of the reorganization, any goodwill allocated to the global CRM reporting unit was no longer supported by the cash flows of other businesses. Under our former reporting unit structure, the goodwill allocated to our regional reporting units was supported by the cash flows from all businesses in each international region. The hypothetical tax structure of the global CRM business and the global CRM business discount rate applied were also contributing factors to the goodwill impairment charge. We finalized the second step of the global CRM goodwill impairment test during the second quarter of 2013, in accordance with ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other, and determined that no adjustments to the charge were required. After recording the impairment charge in the first quarter of 2013, there was no remaining goodwill allocated to the global CRM reporting unit.

The goodwill impairment charge taken during the first quarter of 2013 was determined on a global CRM basis pursuant to our new organizational structure. We used the income approach, specifically the DCF method, to derive the fair value of the global CRM reporting unit. We completed a DCF model associated with our new global CRM business, including the amount and timing of future expected cash flows, tax attributes, the terminal value growth rate of approximately two percent and the appropriate market-participant risk-adjusted weighted average cost of capital (WACC) of approximately 12 percent.
In the second quarter of 2013, we performed our annual goodwill impairment test for all of our reporting units. In conjunction with our annual test, the fair value of each reporting unit exceeded its carrying value except CRM, for which no goodwill remains. Therefore, it was deemed not necessary to proceed to the second step of the impairment test. We have identified our global Neuromodulation reporting unit as being at higher risk of potential failure of the first step of the goodwill impairment test in future reporting periods. Our global Neuromodulation reporting unit holds $1.356 billion of allocated goodwill. The level of excess fair value over carrying value for this reporting unit identified during our annual goodwill impairment test was approximately 16 percent. Future changes in our reporting units or in the structure of our business as a result of future reorganizations, acquisitions or divestitures of assets or businesses could result in future impairments of goodwill within our reporting units including global CRM. Further, the recoverability of our CRM-related amortizable intangibles ($4.374 billion globally as of December 31, 2013) is sensitive to future cash flow assumptions and our global CRM business performance. The $4.374 billion of CRM-related amortizable intangibles are at higher risk of potential failure of the first step of the amortizable intangible recoverability test in future reporting periods. An impairment of a material portion of our CRM-related amortizable intangibles carrying value would occur if the second step of the amortizable intangible test is required in a future reporting period. Refer to Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates within our Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contained in Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of key assumptions used in our testing.
On a quarterly basis, we monitor the key drivers of fair value to detect events or other changes that would warrant an interim impairment test of our goodwill and intangible assets. The key variables that drive the cash flows of our reporting units and amortizable intangibles are estimated revenue growth rates and levels of profitability. Terminal value growth rate assumptions, as well as the WACC rate applied are additional key variables for reporting unit cash flows. These assumptions are subject to uncertainty, including our ability to grow revenue and improve profitability levels. Relatively small declines in the future performance and cash flows of a reporting unit or asset group or small changes in other key assumptions may result in the recognition of significant asset impairment charges. For example, keeping all other variables constant, an increase in the WACC applied of 80 basis points or a 200 basis point decrease in the terminal value growth rate would require that we perform the second step of the goodwill impairment test for the global Neuromodulation reporting unit. The estimates used for our future cash flows and discount rates represent management's best estimates, which we believe to be reasonable, but future declines in business performance may impair the recoverability of our goodwill and intangible asset balances.
Future events that could have a negative impact on the levels of excess fair value over carrying value of our reporting units and/or amortizable intangible assets include, but are not limited to:
decreases in estimated market sizes or market growth rates due to greater-than-expected declines in procedural volumes, pricing pressures, reductions in reimbursement levels, product actions, and/or competitive or disruptive technology developments;
declines in our market share and penetration assumptions due to increased competition, an inability to develop or launch new and next-generation products and technology features in line with our commercialization strategies, and market and/or regulatory conditions that may cause significant launch delays or product recalls;
decreases in our forecasted profitability due to an inability to successfully implement and achieve timely and sustainable cost improvement measures consistent with our expectations, increases in our market-participant tax rate, and/or changes in tax laws;
negative developments in intellectual property litigation that may impact our ability to market certain products or increase our costs to sell certain products;
the level of success of on-going and future research and development efforts, including those related to recent acquisitions, and increases in the research and development costs necessary to obtain regulatory approvals and launch new products;
the level of success in managing the growth of acquired companies, achieving sustained profitability consistent with our expectations, establishing government and third-party payer reimbursement, supplying the market, and increases in the costs and time necessary to integrate acquired businesses into our operations successfully;
changes in our reporting units or in the structure of our business as a result of future reorganizations, acquisitions or divestitures of assets or businesses; and
increases in our market-participant risk-adjusted WACC.
Negative changes in one or more of these factors, among others, could result in additional impairment charges.
2012 Charges
In the second quarter of 2012, we performed our annual goodwill impairment test for all of our reporting units and concluded that the goodwill within our former EMEA reporting unit was impaired and recorded a charge of $3.602 billion ($3.579 billion after-tax). As a result of revised estimates developed during our annual strategic planning process and analysis performed in conjunction with our annual goodwill impairment test, we concluded that the revenue growth rates projected for the EMEA reporting unit were slightly lower than our previous estimates primarily driven by macro-economic factors and our performance in the European market. We updated short-term operating projections based on our most recent strategic plan for EMEA prepared by management. We reduced the EMEA long-term growth rates and terminal value growth rate projections and increased the discount rate within our 15-year DCF model for EMEA by approximately 100 basis points due to increased risk associated with our projections in this market primarily as a result of economic uncertainty in Europe. In addition, our expectations for future growth and profitability were lowered as compared to our previous estimates and reflected declines in average selling prices and volume pressures due to austerity measures. We finalized the second step of the EMEA goodwill impairment test during the third quarter of 2012, in accordance with ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other, and there were no adjustments to the charge upon finalization.
In the third quarter of 2012, we performed an interim goodwill impairment test and recorded a non-cash $748 million (pre- and after-tax) charge associated with our former U.S. Cardiac Rhythm Management (U.S. CRM) reporting unit, primarily driven by a reduction in the estimated size of the U.S. CRM market, related adjustments to our business and other competitive factors, which led to lower projected U.S. CRM results compared to prior forecasts. The U.S. CRM market is dynamic, highly competitive and difficult to forecast; in the third quarter of 2012, we lowered our projections for the U.S. CRM market size and our future revenue levels within this market, primarily to reflect changes in expectations of average selling prices and unit growth, adjustments to our business and other competitive factors. The increased pricing pressure and lower unit volumes were primarily due to physician alignment with hospitals, efforts to reduce health care costs, focus on appropriate device usage, replacement volumes and competition, and were more impactful to the U.S. CRM business than previously estimated. In addition, we adjusted certain elements of our business and shifted investments to focus on areas expected to provide the highest future growth and financial return. As a result of these factors, we reduced the compound annual revenue growth rate of our 15 year DCF model for the U.S. CRM reporting unit by approximately 250 basis points. We finalized the second step of the U.S. CRM goodwill impairment test during the fourth quarter of 2012, in accordance with ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other, and there were no adjustments to the charge upon finalization.
2011 Charge
Based on market information that became available to us toward the end of the first quarter of 2011, we concluded that there was a reduction in the estimated size of the U.S. ICD market, which led to lower projected U.S. CRM results compared to prior forecasts and created an indication of potential impairment of the goodwill balance attributable to our former U.S. CRM business unit. Therefore, we performed an interim impairment test in accordance with U.S. GAAP and our accounting policies and recorded a non-deductible goodwill impairment charge of $697 million, on both a pre-tax and after-tax basis, associated with this business unit during the first quarter of 2011.
The following is a rollforward of accumulated goodwill write-offs by global reportable segment:
(in millions)
 
Cardiovascular
 
Rhythm Management
 
MedSurg
 
Total
Accumulated write-offs as of December 31, 2011
 
$

 
$
(5,127
)
 
$

 
(5,127
)
Goodwill written off
 
(1,479
)
 
(1,410
)
 
(1,461
)
 
(4,350
)
Accumulated write-offs as of December 31, 2012
 
$
(1,479
)
 
$
(6,537
)
 
(1,461
)
 
$
(9,477
)
Goodwill written off
 

 
(423
)
 

 
(423
)
Accumulated write-offs as of December 31, 2013
 
$
(1,479
)
 
$
(6,960
)
 
$
(1,461
)
 
$
(9,900
)

Intangible Asset Impairment Charges

On a quarterly basis, we monitor for events or other potential indicators of impairment that would warrant an interim impairment test of our intangible assets. The recoverability of our CRM-related amortizable intangibles ($4.374 billion globally as of December 31, 2013) are sensitive to changes in future cash flow assumptions and our global CRM business performance. The $4.374 billion of CRM-related amortizable intangibles are at higher risk of potential failure of the first step of the amortizable intangible recoverability test in future reporting periods. An impairment of a material portion of our CRM-related amortizable intangibles carrying value would occur if the second step of the amortizable intangible test is required in a future reporting period. See Goodwill Impairment Charges above for discussion of future events that could have a negative impact on the levels of excess fair value over carrying value of our CRM-related amortizable intangible assets.

2013 Charges

During the third quarter of 2013, we performed our annual impairment test of all in-process research and development projects, and our indefinite lived core technology assets, and recorded no impairments based on the results of our testing.

During the second quarter of 2013 as a result of revised estimates developed in conjunction with our annual strategic planning process and annual goodwill impairment test, we performed an interim impairment test of our in-process research and development projects associated with certain of our acquisitions. Based on the results of our impairment analyses, we revised our expectations of the market size related to Sadra Medical, Inc. (Sadra), and the resulting timing and amount of future revenue and cash flows associated with the technology acquired from Sadra. As a result of these changes, we recorded pre-tax impairment charges of $51 million to write-down the balance of these intangible assets to their fair value during the second quarter of 2013. During the second quarter of 2013, we also recorded an additional $2 million intangible asset impairment charge associated with changes in the amount of the expected cash flows related to certain other acquired in-process research and development projects.

In-process research and development fair value is measured using projected revenues, projected expenses, discount rates, and
probability of expected launch. The nonrecurring Level 3 fair value measurements of the impairment analysis performed in the second quarter of 2013 included the following significant unobservable inputs:

Intangible Asset
Fair Value as of Second Quarter 2013
Valuation Technique
Unobservable Input
Rate
In-Process R&D
$178 million
Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method
Discount Rate
16.5%

2012 Charges
During the third quarter of 2012, we performed our annual impairment test of all in-process research and development projects, and our indefinite lived core technology assets. Based on the results of our annual test, we recorded total impairment charges of $13 million ($10 million after-tax) to write-down the balances of certain in-process projects to their fair value. These charges were primarily due to increased expectations in the cost to bring an in-process project to market in a certain geographic region and lower future revenue expectations associated with an in-process project.

In-process research and development fair value is measured using projected revenues, projected expenses, discount rates, and probability of expected launch. The nonrecurring Level 3 fair value measurements of the impairment charges taken in the third quarter of 2012 included the following significant unobservable inputs:

Intangible Asset
Fair Value as of Third Quarter 2012
Valuation Technique
Unobservable Input
Range
In-Process R&D
$26 million
Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method
Discount Rate
20%-25%


During the second quarter of 2012, as a result of revised estimates developed in conjunction with our annual strategic planning process and annual goodwill impairment test, we performed an interim impairment test of our in-process research and development projects associated with our acquisition of Sadra Medical, Inc. Based on our impairment analysis, we revised our expectations of the required effort, time and cost involved in completing the in-process projects and bringing the related products to market. As a result of these changes, we recorded an impairment charge of $129 million ($110 million after-tax) to write-down the balance of these intangible assets to their fair value during the second quarter of 2012.

The nonrecurring Level 3 fair value measurements of the impairment charges taken in the second quarter of 2012 included the following significant unobservable inputs:

Intangible Asset
Fair Value as of Second Quarter 2012
Valuation Technique
Unobservable Input
Range
In-Process R&D
$184 million
Income Approach - Excess Earnings Method
Discount Rate
20%

2011 Charges
During the third quarter of 2011, we recorded a $9 million intangible asset impairment charge attributable to lower projected cash flows associated with certain technologies. During the second quarter of 2011, we recorded a $12 million intangible asset impairment charge associated with changes in the timing and amount of the expected cash flows related to certain in-process research and development projects.
The intangible asset category and associated write downs recorded in 2013, 2012 and 2011 were as follows:
 
 
Year Ended December 31,
(in millions)
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
Technology-related
 
$

 
$

 
$
9

Purchased research and development
 
53

 
142

 
12

 
 
$
53

 
142

 
$
21


Estimated amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years based upon our intangible asset portfolio as of December 31, 2013 is as follows:
 
 
 
 
 
Estimated Amortization Expense
Fiscal Year
 
(in millions)
 
2014
 
$
433

2015
 
441

2016
 
441

2017
 
440

2018
 
441


Our technology-related intangible assets that are not subject to amortization represent technical processes, intellectual property and/or institutional understanding acquired through business combinations that are fundamental to the on-going operations of our business and have no limit to their useful life. Our technology-related intangible assets that are not subject to amortization are comprised primarily of certain acquired balloon and other technology, which is foundational to our continuing operations within the Cardiovascular market and other markets within interventional medicine. We assess our indefinite-lived intangible assets at least annually for impairment and reassess their classification as indefinite-lived assets. We assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that our indefinite-lived intangible assets are impaired. If we conclude that it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired, we then determine the fair value of the intangible asset and perform the quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value with the carrying value in accordance with ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other.

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