Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Intangible Assets

v3.6.0.2
Intangible Assets
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
Other Intangible Assets

(10)  Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill are as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

QVC

 

zulily

    

Corporate and Other

    

Total

 

 

 

amounts in millions

 

Balance at January 1, 2015

 

$

5,206

 

 —

 

198

 

5,404

 

Acquisitions

 

 

 —

 

860

 

10

 

870

 

Sale of subsidiary

 

 

 —

 

 —

 

(105)

 

(105)

 

Foreign currency translation adjustments

 

 

(57)

 

 —

 

 —

 

(57)

 

Balance at December 31, 2015

 

 

5,149

 

860

 

103

 

6,112

 

Acquisition (1)

 

 

 —

 

57

 

 —

 

57

 

Disposition (2)

 

 

 —

 

 —

 

(78)

 

(78)

 

Foreign currency translation adjustments

 

 

(39)

 

 —

 

 —

 

(39)

 

Balance at December 31, 2016

 

$

5,110

 

917

 

25

 

6,052

 

 

(1)

Subsequent to December 31, 2015, the preliminary purchase price allocation for the zulily acquisition was adjusted, resulting in a $57 million increase to goodwill.

(2)

As discussed in note 6, Liberty completed the CommerceHub Spin-Off on July 22, 2016, resulting in a $21 million decrease to goodwill. In addition, as discussed in note 6, Liberty completed the Expedia Holdings Split-Off on November 4, 2016, resulting in a $57 million decrease to goodwill related to Bodybuilding.

 

Goodwill recognized from acquisitions primarily relates to assembled workforces, website community and other intangible assets that do not qualify for separate recognition.

 

As presented in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, trademarks is the other significant indefinite lived intangible asset.

Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization

Intangible assets subject to amortization are comprised of the following:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2016

 

December 31, 2015

 

 

    

Gross

    

    

    

Net

    

Gross

    

    

    

Net

 

 

 

carrying

 

Accumulated

 

carrying

 

carrying

 

Accumulated

 

carrying

 

 

 

amount

 

amortization

 

amount

 

amount

 

amortization

 

amount

 

 

 

amounts in millions

 

Television distribution rights

 

$

2,279

 

(2,095)

 

184

 

2,259

 

(1,920)

 

339

 

Customer relationships

 

 

2,910

 

(2,394)

 

516

 

2,950

 

(2,141)

 

809

 

Other

 

 

965

 

(660)

 

305

 

1,077

 

(578)

 

499

 

Total

 

$

6,154

 

(5,149)

 

1,005

 

6,286

 

(4,639)

 

1,647

 

 

The weighted average life of these amortizable intangible assets was approximately 9 years, at the time of acquisition.  However, amortization is expected to match the usage of the related asset and will be on an accelerated basis as demonstrated in table below.

Amortization expense for intangible assets with finite useful lives was $703 million, $550 million and $504 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Based on its amortizable intangible assets as of December 31, 2016, Liberty expects that amortization expense will be as follows for the next five years (amounts in millions):

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017

    

$

518

 

2018

 

$

252

 

2019

 

$

122

 

2020

 

$

63

 

2021

 

$

50

 

 

Impairments

As of December 31, 2016 accumulated goodwill impairment losses for certain e-commerce companies was $87 million.