Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Goodwill

The following table summarizes changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, by reportable segment:



	Balance as of December 31, 2011		Goodwill Adjustments and Acquisitions			Balance as of December 31, 2010		Goodwill Adjustments and Acquisitions			Balance as of December 31, 2009
Agriculture	$	232	$	4		$	228	$	176		$	52
Electronics & Communications	149		32			117		(2		)	119
Industrial Biosciences	866		866			—		—			—
Nutrition & Health	2,322		1,898			424		—			424
Performance Chemicals	185		—			185		2			183
Performance Coatings	809		—			809		—			809
Performance Materials	404		(6		)	410		(3		)	413
Safety & Protection	446		2			444		307			137
Total	$	5,413	$	2,796		$	2,617	$	480		$	2,137

Changes in goodwill in 2011 primarily relate to the goodwill associated with the Danisco acquisition (see Note 2). Changes in goodwill in 2010 primarily related to acquisitions in the Agriculture and Safety & Protection segments. In 2011 and 2010, the company performed impairment tests for goodwill and determined that no goodwill impairments existed.

Other Intangible Assets

The following table summarizes the gross carrying amounts and accumulated amortization of other intangible assets by major class:



	December 31, 2011							December 31, 2010
	Gross		Accumulated Amortization			Net		Gross		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Intangible assets subject to amortization (Definite-lived)
Customer lists	$	1,841	$	(220	)	$	1,621	$	525	$	(160	)	$	365
Patents	518		(77		)	441		118		(44		)	74
Purchased and licensed technology	1,854		(878		)	976		1,617		(765		)	852
Trademarks	57		(25		)	32		57		(22		)	35
Other¹	330		(151		)	179		333		(163		)	170
	4,600		(1,351		)	3,249		2,650		(1,154		)	1,496
Intangible assets not subject to amortization (Indefinite-lived)
In-process research and development	70		—			70		—		—			—
Microbial cell factories²	306		—			306		—		—			—
Pioneer germplasm³	975		—			975		975		—			975
Trademarks/tradenames	813		—			813		233		—			233
	2,164		—			2,164		1,208		—			1,208
Total	$	6,764	$	(1,351	)	$	5,413	$	3,858	$	(1,154	)	$	2,704


^1.	Primarily consists of sales and grower networks, marketing and manufacturing alliances and noncompetition agreements.

^2.

Microbial cell factories, derived from natural microbes, are used to sustainably produce enzymes, peptides and chemicals using natural metabolic processes. The company recognized the microbial cell factories as an intangible asset upon the acquisition of Danisco. This intangible asset is expected to contribute to cash flows beyond the foreseeable future and there are no legal, regulatory, contractual, or other factors which limit its useful life.

^3.

Pioneer germplasm is the pool of genetic source material and body of knowledge gained from the development and delivery stage of plant breeding. The company recognized germplasm as an intangible asset upon the acquisition of Pioneer. This intangible asset is expected to contribute to cash flows beyond the foreseeable future and there are no legal, regulatory, contractual, or other factors which limit its useful life.

The aggregate pre-tax amortization expense for definite-lived intangible assets was $277, $176 and $252 for 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The estimated aggregate pre-tax amortization expense for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 is $338, $338, $338, $332 and $269, respectively, which are primarily reported in cost of goods sold and other operating charges. Estimated aggregate pre-tax amortization expense includes approximately $110 of amortization expense in each of the next five years related to definite-lived intangible assets acquired as part of the Danisco transaction.

- 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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