Goodwill And Other Intangibles

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Goodwill And Other Intangibles [Abstract]

(6) Goodwill and Other Intangibles:

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill, net for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 were as follows:



($ in millions)	Goodwill

Balance at January 1, 2016	$	7,166
CTF Acquisition (Note 3)		2,508
Balance at December 31, 2016		9,674
CTF Acquisition adjustment		98
Goodwill impairment		(2,748)
Balance at December 31, 2017	$	7,024

Accumulated goodwill impairment charges were $2,788 million and $40 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

We are required to perform impairment tests related to our goodwill annually, which we perform as of December 31, or sooner if an indicator of impairment occurs. Due to the continued decline in our stock price we had triggering events in each of the four quarters in 2017.

We use a market multiples approach to determine fair value. Marketplace company comparisons and analyst reports within the wireline telecommunications industry have historically supported a range of fair values of multiples between 4.4x and 6.5x annualized EBITDA (defined as operating income, net of acquisition and integration costs, pension/OPEB expense, pension settlement costs, stock-based compensation expense, goodwill impairment, storm-related costs, and restructuring costs and other charges, as well as depreciation and amortization). We estimated the enterprise fair value using a multiple of 5.8x EBITDA for the first three quarters in 2017 and a multiple of 5.5x EBITDA for the fourth quarter evaluation.

Our second and fourth quarter quantitative assessments indicated that the carrying value of the enterprise exceeded its fair value and, therefore, an impairment existed. We elected to early adopt the simplified goodwill testing method under ASU 2017-04, recording goodwill impairments totaling $2,748 million for 2017. The driver for the impairment in the second quarter was a reduction in our profitability and utilized EBITDA estimate, which when applied to our market multiple resulted in a lower enterprise valuation. During the fourth quarter, the impairment was largely driven by a lower enterprise valuation resulting from a reduction in utilized market multiple from 5.8x to 5.5x reflecting the lower outlook for our industry as a whole. The revaluation of our net deferred tax liabilities which resulted from the enactment of Tax Cut and Job Act, caused further goodwill impairment (see Note 12).

Our first and third quarter quantitative assessments indicated that the fair value of the enterprise exceeded its carrying value and, therefore, no indication of impairment existed in either period.

The market multiples approach that we use incorporates significant estimates and assumptions related to the forecasted results for the remainder of the year including revenues, expenses, and the achievement of other cost synergies. Our assessment includes many qualitative factors that require significant judgment. Alternative interpretations of these factors could have resulted in different conclusions regarding the need for, or size of, an impairment. Continued declines in our profitability or cash flows or in the sustained, historically low trading prices of our common stock may result in further impairment.

We also considered whether the carrying values of finite-lived intangible assets and property plant and equipment may not be recoverable or whether the carrying value of certain indefinite-lived intangible assets were impaired, noting no additional impairment was present as of December 31, 2017.

The components of other intangibles at December 31, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:



	2017						2016
($ in millions)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization		Net Carrying Amount		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization		Net Carrying Amount

Other Intangibles:
Customer base	$	5,188	$	(3,294)	$	1,894	$	5,088	$	(2,604)	$	2,484
Trade name		122		-		122		122		-		122
Royalty agreement		72		(25)		47		72		(16)		56
Total other intangibles	$	5,382	$	(3,319)	$	2,063	$	5,282	$	(2,620)	$	2,662

Amortization expense was as follows:


	For the Year Ended
($ in millions)	2017		2016		2015

Amortization expense	$	699	$	643	$	337

Amortization expense primarily represents the amortization of our customer base acquired as a result of the CTF Acquisition, the Connecticut Acquisition and the acquisition of certain Verizon properties in 2010 with each based on a useful life of 8 to 12 years on an accelerated method. The approximate weighted average remaining life of our customer base is 6 years and for our royalty agreement is 3 years. Amortization expense based on our current estimate of useful lives, is estimated to be approximately $569 million in 2018, $454 million in 2019, $354 million in 2020, $260 million in 2021, and $173 million in 2022.

- 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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