Goodwill and other intangible assets (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2017

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of goodwill

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by reportable segment consist of the following activity (in millions):

	Retail Pharmacy USA			Retail Pharmacy International			Pharmaceutical Wholesale			Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
August 31, 2015	$	8,940		$	3,898		$	3,534		$	16,372
Acquisitions	—			23			—			23
Sale of business	(4		)	—			—			(4		)
Other1	100			(113		)	13			—
Currency translation adjustments	—			(439		)	(425		)	(864		)
August 31, 2016	$	9,036		$	3,369		$	3,122		$	15,527
Acquisitions	103			—			1			104
Currency translation adjustments	—			23			(22		)	1
August 31, 2017	$	9,139		$	3,392		$	3,101		$	15,632

¹  Other primarily represents the reallocation of goodwill between reporting units and purchase accounting adjustments for prior year acquisitions.

Schedule of finite-lived intangible assets by major class

The carrying amount and accumulated amortization of intangible assets consists of the following (in millions):

	August 31, 2017		August 31, 2016
Gross amortizable intangible assets
Customer relationships and loyalty card holders	$	1,851	$	1,867
Purchased prescription files	659		932
Favorable lease interests and non-compete agreements	523		619
Trade names and trademarks	504		532
Purchasing and payer contracts	391		94
Total gross amortizable intangible assets	3,928		4,044
Accumulated amortization
Customer relationships and loyalty card holders	$	409	$	275
Purchased prescription files	371		600
Favorable lease interests and non-compete agreements	355		388
Trade names and trademarks	155		105
Purchasing and payer contracts	51		71
Total accumulated amortization	1,341		1,439
Total amortizable intangible assets, net	$	2,587	$	2,605
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
Trade names and trademarks	$	5,514	$	5,604
Pharmacy licenses	2,055		2,093
Total indefinite lived intangible assets	$	7,569	$	7,697
Total intangible assets, net	$	10,156	$	10,302

Schedule of finite-lived intangible assets, future amortization expense

Estimated future annual amortization expense for the next five fiscal years for intangible assets recorded at August 31, 2017 is as follows (in millions):

	2018		2019		2020		2021		2022
Estimated annual amortization expense	$	364	$	340	$	280	$	229	$	210