1. Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure	1.BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND USE OF ESTIMATES Basis of Presentation In this report, “Bio-Rad,” “we,” “us,” "the Company" and “our” refer to Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. and its subsidiaries. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Bio-Rad have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and reflect all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to fairly state the results of the interim periods presented. All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature, with the exception to the adjustments noted below. Results for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year. The condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2013 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the notes to the consolidated financial statements contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. We evaluate subsequent events and the evidence they provide about conditions existing at the date of the balance sheet as well as conditions that arose after the balance sheet date but through the date the financial statements are issued. The effects of conditions that existed at the balance sheet date are recognized in the financial statements. Events and conditions arising after the balance sheet date but before the financial statements are issued are evaluated to determine if disclosure is required to keep the financial statements from being misleading. To the extent such events and conditions exist, disclosures are made regarding the nature of events and the estimated financial effects for those events and conditions. Use of Estimates The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingencies at the date of the financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Bio-Rad bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other market-specific and other relevant assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. CORRECTION OF IMMATERIAL ERRORS, AND RECLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN AMOUNTS Statement of Cash Flows During the six month-period ended June 30, 2013, we reported payments for contingent consideration as cash outflows from investing activities in error. Amounts paid pertaining to the purchase accounting contingent liability should have been classified as cash outflows from financing activities. Amounts paid in excess of the purchase accounting contingent liability should have been classified as cash outflows from operating activities. We have adjusted the amounts previously reported in our Form 10-Q for the six-month period ended June 30, 2013 in conjunction with the filing of this 10-Q by reducing cash outflows from investing activities by $13.5 million and increasing cash outflows from financing activities and operating activities by $13.1 million and $0.4 million, respectively. During the six month-period ended June 30, 2013, we reported payments for/proceeds from forward foreign exchange contracts as cash flows from investing activities in error. Cash flows from forward foreign exchange contracts should have been classified as cash flows from operating activities. We have adjusted the amounts previously reported in our Form 10-Q for the six-month period ended June 30, 2013 in conjunction with the filing of this 10-Q by reducing cash inflows from investing activities by $5.0 million and increasing cash inflows from operating activities by $5.0 million. Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit During the third quarter of 2013, we revised the classification of one item for all periods presented from “Provision for income taxes” to “Research and development expense” in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income to conform to the current year presentation. The item reclassified pertains to a refundable French R&D tax credit, which after the reclassification reduces Research and development expense. We believe this presentation is appropriate as we are not required to have taxable income in order to earn the credits. As a result of recording this reclassification, there is an additional impact to our income tax provision due to the application of our effective income tax rate throughout the year. This causes the income tax provision impact to not always equal the pre-tax impact on a quarterly basis, but it does equal on an annual basis. The effect of these items for the second quarter of 2013 were as follows: a reduction of $1.4 million to Research and development expense, an increase of $1.5 million to Provision for income taxes, and a decrease of $0.1 million to Net income attributable to Bio-Rad. The effect of these items for the six months ended June 30, 2013 were as follows: a reduction of $3.0 million to Research and development expense, an increase of $2.4 million to Provision for income taxes, and an increase of $0.6 million to Net income attributable to Bio-Rad. Management evaluated the materiality of all the errors described above from a qualitative and quantitative perspective. Based on such evaluation, we have concluded that while these errors were significant to the quarter ended June 30, 2013, their correction impacted only the June 30, 2013 presentation and did not have an effect on the trend of financial results, taking into account the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108, Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements (SAB 108). Accordingly, we are correcting these errors in the second quarter of the 2014 Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Form 10-Q. Recent Accounting Standards Updates In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605),” and requires entities to recognize revenue in a way that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period and is to be applied retrospectively, with early application not permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this accounting standard update on our consolidated financial statements.

1.BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND USE OF ESTIMATES

Basis of Presentation

In this report, “Bio-Rad,” “we,” “us,” "the Company" and “our” refer to Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. and its subsidiaries. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Bio-Rad have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and reflect all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to fairly state the results of the interim periods presented. All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature, with the exception to the adjustments noted below. Results for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year. The condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2013 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the notes to the consolidated financial statements contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

We evaluate subsequent events and the evidence they provide about conditions existing at the date of the balance sheet as well as conditions that arose after the balance sheet date but through the date the financial statements are issued. The effects of conditions that existed at the balance sheet date are recognized in the financial statements. Events and conditions arising after the balance sheet date but before the financial statements are issued are evaluated to determine if disclosure is required to keep the financial statements from being misleading. To the extent such events and conditions exist, disclosures are made regarding the nature of events and the estimated financial effects for those events and conditions.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingencies at the date of the financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Bio-Rad bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other market-specific and other relevant assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

CORRECTION OF IMMATERIAL ERRORS, AND RECLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN AMOUNTS

Statement of Cash Flows

During the six month-period ended June 30, 2013, we reported payments for contingent consideration as cash outflows from investing activities in error. Amounts paid pertaining to the purchase accounting contingent liability should have been classified as cash outflows from financing activities. Amounts paid in excess of the purchase accounting contingent liability should have been classified as cash outflows from operating activities. We have adjusted the amounts previously reported in our Form 10-Q for the six-month period ended June 30, 2013 in conjunction with the filing of this 10-Q by reducing cash outflows from investing activities by $13.5 million and increasing cash outflows from financing activities and operating activities by $13.1 million and $0.4 million, respectively.

During the six month-period ended June 30, 2013, we reported payments for/proceeds from forward foreign exchange contracts as cash flows from investing activities in error. Cash flows from forward foreign exchange contracts should have been classified as cash flows from operating activities. We have adjusted the amounts previously reported in our Form 10-Q for the six-month period ended June 30, 2013 in conjunction with the filing of this 10-Q by reducing cash inflows from investing activities by $5.0 million and increasing cash inflows from operating activities by $5.0 million.

Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit

During the third quarter of 2013, we revised the classification of one item for all periods presented from “Provision for income taxes” to “Research and development expense” in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income to conform to the current year presentation. The item reclassified pertains to a refundable French R&D tax credit, which after the reclassification reduces Research and development expense. We believe this presentation is appropriate as we are not required to have taxable income in order to earn the credits. As a result of recording this reclassification, there is an additional impact to our income tax provision due to the application of our effective income tax rate throughout the year. This causes the income tax provision impact to not always equal the pre-tax impact on a quarterly basis, but it does equal on an annual basis. The effect of these items for the second quarter of 2013 were as follows: a reduction of $1.4 million to Research and development expense, an increase of $1.5 million to Provision for income taxes, and a decrease of $0.1 million to Net income attributable to Bio-Rad. The effect of these items for the six months ended June 30, 2013 were as follows: a reduction of $3.0 million to Research and development expense, an increase of $2.4 million to Provision for income taxes, and an increase of $0.6 million to Net income attributable to Bio-Rad.

Management evaluated the materiality of all the errors described above from a qualitative and quantitative perspective. Based on such evaluation, we have concluded that while these errors were significant to the quarter ended June 30, 2013, their correction impacted only the June 30, 2013 presentation and did not have an effect on the trend of financial results, taking into account the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108, Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements (SAB 108). Accordingly, we are correcting these errors in the second quarter of the 2014 Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Form 10-Q.

Recent Accounting Standards Updates

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605),” and requires entities to recognize revenue in a way that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period and is to be applied retrospectively, with early application not permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this accounting standard update on our consolidated financial statements.