Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Dec. 31, 2012

Goodwill And Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

5. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill

The table below summarizes the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by reportable segment for the three months ended March 31, 2013.


(IN MILLIONS)	Buy			Watch			Expositions		Total
Balance, December 31, 2012	$	3,126		$	3,661		$	565	$	7,352
Acquisitions, divestitures and other adjustments		4			1			—		5
Effect of foreign currency translation		(34	)		(1	)		—		(35	)

Balance, March 31, 2013	$	3,096		$	3,661		$	565	$	7,322

At March 31, 2013, $113 million of the goodwill is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes.

Other Intangible Assets


(IN MILLIONS)	Gross Amounts				Accumulated Amortization
(IN MILLIONS)	March 31, 2013		December 31, 2012		March 31, 2013			December 31, 2012
Indefinite-lived intangibles:
Trade names and trademarks	$	1,921	$	1,921	$	—		$	—

Amortized intangibles:
Trade names and trademarks	$	126	$	128	$	(48	)	$	(46	)
Customer-related intangibles		2,882		2,882		(922	)		(886	)
Covenants-not-to-compete		36		36		(26	)		(25	)
Computer software		1,360		1,316		(843	)		(804	)
Patents and other		93		90		(60	)		(57	)

Total	$	4,497	$	4,452	$	(1,899	)	$	(1,818	)

Amortization expense associated with the above intangible assets was $81 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and $79 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012. These amounts included amortization expense associated with computer software of $39 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012.

5. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill

The table below summarizes the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by reportable segment for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.


(IN MILLIONS)	Buy			Watch			Expositions		Total
Balance December 31, 2010	$	2,990		$	3,546		$	560	$	7,096
Acquisitions, divestitures and other adjustments		123			—			—		123
Effect of foreign currency translation		(58	)		(6	)		—		(64	)

Balance December 31, 2011	$	3,055		$	3,540		$	560	$	7,155
Acquisitions, divestitures and other adjustments		14			117			5		136
Effect of foreign currency translation		57			4			—		61

Balance December 31, 2012	$	3,126		$	3,661		$	565	$	7,352

Cumulative Impairments	$	—		$	376		$	2	$	378

At December 31, 2012, $122 million of goodwill is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes.

Other Intangible Assets


(IN MILLIONS)	Gross Amounts				Accumulated Amortization
(IN MILLIONS)	December 31, 2012		December 31, 2011		December 31, 2012			December 31, 2011
Indefinite-lived intangibles:
Trade names and trademarks	$	1,921	$	1,921	$	—		$	—

Amortized intangibles:
Trade names and trademarks	$	128	$	113	$	(46	)	$	(37	)
Customer-related intangibles		2,882		2,823		(886	)		(747	)
Covenants-not-to-compete		36		32		(25	)		(22	)
Computer software		1,316		1,089		(804	)		(648	)
Patents and other		90		83		(57	)		(46	)

Total	$	4,452	$	4,140	$	(1,818	)	$	(1,500	)

The amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 was $320 million, $319 million and $319 million, respectively. These amounts include amortization expense associated with computer software of $156 million, $158 million and $164 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Certain of the trade names associated with Nielsen are deemed indefinite-lived intangible assets, as their associated Nielsen brand awareness and recognition has existed for over 50 years and the Company intends to continue to utilize these trade names. There are also no legal, regulatory, contractual, competitive, economic or other factors that may limit their estimated useful lives. Nielsen reconsiders the remaining estimated useful life of indefinite-lived intangible assets each reporting period.

The Company’s 2012, 2011 and 2010 annual assessments did not result in an impairment for any of its underlying reporting units or indefinite-lived intangible assets.

All other intangible assets are subject to amortization. Future amortization expense is estimated to be as follows:


(IN MILLIONS)
For the year ending December 31:
2013	$	330
2014		303
2015		269
2016		194
2017		165
Thereafter		1,373

Total	$	2,634

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the aggregate amount of goodwill and a description of intangible assets, which may include (a) for amortizable intangible assets (also referred to as finite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, the amount of any significant residual value, and the weighted-average amortization period, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization (also referred to as indefinite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, and (c) the amount of research and development assets acquired and written off in the period, including the line item in the income statement in which the amounts written off are aggregated, if not readily apparent from the income statement. Also discloses (a) for amortizable intangibles assets in total and by major class, the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization, the total amortization expense for the period, and the estimated aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization the carrying amount in total and by major class, and (c) for goodwill, in total and for each reportable segment, the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the period (including the aggregate amount of goodwill acquired, the aggregate amount of impairment losses recognized, and the amount of goodwill included in the gain (loss) on disposal of a reporting unit). If any part of goodwill has not been allocated to a reportable segment, discloses the unallocated amount and the reasons for not allocating. For each impairment loss recognized related to an intangible asset (excluding goodwill), discloses: (a) a description of the impaired intangible asset and the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method for determining fair value, (c) the caption in the income statement or the statement of activities in which the impairment loss is aggregated, and (d) the segment in which the impaired intangible asset is reported. For each goodwill impairment loss recognized, discloses: (a) a description of the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method of determining the fair value of the associated reporting unit, and (c) if a recognized impairment loss is an estimate not finalized and the reasons why the estimate is not final. May also disclose the nature and amount of any significant adjustments made to a previous estimate of an impairment loss.

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