1. Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of Quantifying Prior Year Misstatements Corrected in Current Year Financial Statements [Table Text Block]

The impact of the immaterial error correction, and the reclassification, both described above on our Consolidated Balance Sheet and Consolidated Statements of Income for the periods presented is as follows (in thousands, except per share data):

	December 31, 2012
	As reported		Adjustment		As revised
Inventories: finished goods	$	230,624	$	6,750	$	237,374
Total inventories	448,370		6,750		455,120
Total current assets	1,929,932		6,750		1,936,682
Total assets	3,436,753		6,750		3,443,503
Income and other taxes payable	32,299		2,480		34,779
Total current liabilities	469,920		2,480		472,400
Total liabilities	1,425,483		2,480		1,427,963
Total stockholders' equity	2,011,270		4,270		2,015,540
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$	3,436,753	$	6,750	$	3,443,503

	Year ended December 31,
	2012							2011
	As reported		Adjustment			As revised		As reported		Adjustment			As revised
Cost of goods sold	$	915,097	$	(1,020	)	$	914,077	$	895,640	$	(940	)	$	894,700
Gross profit	1,154,138		1,020			1,155,158		1,177,889		940			1,178,829
Selling, general and administrative expense	682,898		(1,120		)	681,778		696,294		(310		)	695,984
Research and development expense	214,040		(4,836		)	209,204		186,439		(8,835		)	177,604
Income from operations	257,200		6,976			264,176		295,156		10,085			305,241
Income before income taxes	222,931		6,976			229,907		235,762		10,085			245,847
Provision for income taxes	59,084		5,277			64,361		57,739		9,295			67,034
Net income including noncontrolling interests	163,847		1,699			165,546		178,023		790			178,813
Net income attributable to Bio-Rad	$	163,778	$	1,699		$	165,477	$	178,223	$	790		$	179,013
Net income per basic share attributable to Bio-Rad	$	5.79	$	0.06		$	5.85	$	6.36	$	0.03		$	6.39
Net income per diluted share attributable to Bio-Rad	$	5.72	$	0.06		$	5.78	$	6.26	$	0.03		$	6.29

Following are the amounts in thousands that should have been reported for the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income giving effect to the errors described above:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2012	2011
Net unrealized holding gains on AFS investments, net of income tax, understated by $10,090 for the year ended 2012, and overstated by $208 for the year ended 2011.	$65,448	$12,663
Income taxes on net unrealized holding gains on AFS investments, understated by $5,874 for the year ended 2012, and overstated by $121 for the year ended 2011.	$38,108	$7,373
Reclassification adjustments for net holding (gains) losses on AFS investments included in Net income including noncontrolling interests, net of income tax, understated by $10,090 for the year ended 2012, and overstated by $208 for the year ended 2011.	$(5,045)	$104
Income taxes on reclassification adjustments for net holding gains/losses on AFS investments included in Net income including noncontrolling interests, understated by $5,874 for the year ended 2012, and overstated by $121 for the year ended 2011.	$(2,937)	$61

Schedule of Product Warranty Liability

Changes in the warranty accrual, included in Other current liabilities and Other long-term liabilities, were as follows (in millions):

	2013			2012
January 1	$	16.4		$	16.4
Provision for warranty	15.6			19.8
Actual warranty costs	(16.4		)	(19.8		)
December 31	$	15.6		$	16.4

Schedule of Weighted Average Number of Shares

The weighted average number of common shares outstanding used to calculate basic and diluted earnings per share and the anti-dilutive shares are as follows (in thousands):

	Year Ended December 31,
	2013	2012	2011
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	28,586	28,290	28,031
Effect of potentially dilutive stock options
and restricted stock awards	320	352	437
Diluted weighted average common shares	28,906	28,642	28,468
Anti-dilutive stock options and restricted stock awards
excluded from the computation of diluted EPS	107	83	63