Goodwill and intangible assets (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Acquired Intangible Assets and Weighted-Average Amortization Period

Intangible assets acquired during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012 totaled 174,430 million yen, of which 174,275 million yen is subject to amortization and are comprised of the following:

	Intangible assets acquired  during the year		Weighted-average amortization period
	Yen in millions		Years
Patent rights, know-how and license agreements*1		103,036		7
Customer relationships		19,793		14
Trademarks		14,177		7
Software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed		23,621		3
Other		13,648		4

*1 Includes intellectual property cross-licensing and developed technology relating to the Sony Ericsson acquisition. Refer to Note 24.

Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization

Intangible assets subject to amortization are comprised of the following:

	Yen in millions
	March 31, 2011					March 31, 2012
	Gross carrying amount		Accumulated amortization			Gross carrying amount		Accumulated amortization
Patent rights, know-how and license agreements		122,444		(69,224	)		226,142		(80,334	)
Customer relationships		3,051		(1,105	)		23,758		(1,409	)
Trademarks		4,938		(1,401	)		20,214		(2,154	)
Software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed		76,112		(40,447	)		98,852		(58,865	)
Music catalogs		160,325		(40,455	)		157,699		(45,570	)
Artist contracts		27,727		(17,903	)		27,401		(19,419	)
Television carriage agreements (broadcasting agreements)		35,874		(228	)		36,216		(2,370	)
Other		82,519		(40,136	)		87,843		(54,338	)
Total		512,990		(210,899	)		678,125		(264,459	)

Estimated Aggregate Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets

The estimated aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets for the next five years is as follows:

Fiscal year ending March 31	Yen in millions
2013		68,735
2014		58,885
2015		48,971
2016		41,218
2017		36,509

Total Carrying Amount of Intangible Assets having Indefinite Life

Total carrying amount of intangible assets having an indefinite life are comprised of the following:

	Yen in millions
	March 31
	2011		2012
Trademarks		66,967		66,729
Distribution agreements		18,834		18,807
Other		3,230		4,497
Total		89,031		90,033

Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Segment

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by segment for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2011 and 2012 are as follows:

	Yen in millions
	Consumer Products & Services			Professional, Device & Solutions			Pictures			Music			Financial Services			Sony Mobile*1		All Other			Total
Balance, March 31, 2010:
Goodwill — gross		135,591			65,123			102,481			110,192			3,020			—		36,749			453,156
Accumulated impairments		(5,320	)		(300	)		—			(306	)		(706	)		—		(7,655	)		(14,287	)
Goodwill		130,271			64,823			102,481			109,886			2,314			—		29,094			438,869
Increase (decrease) due to:
Acquisitions*2		—			1,085			46,504			203			—			—		55			47,847
Sales and dispositions		(257	)		—			—			—			—			—		—			(257	)
Impairments		—			—			—			—			—			—		—			—
Translation adjustments		(770	)		31			(8,401	)		(6,956	)		—			—		(1,239	)		(17,335	)
Other*3		171			232			—			(445	)		—			—		(77	)		(119	)
Balance, March 31, 2011:
Goodwill — gross		134,735			66,471			140,584			102,994			3,020			—		35,488			483,292
Accumulated impairments		(5,320	)		(300	)		—			(306	)		(706	)		—		(7,655	)		(14,287	)
Goodwill		129,415			66,171			140,584			102,688			2,314			—		27,833			469,005
Increase (decrease) due to:
Acquisitions		166			—			1,330			—			—			128,522		4,358			134,376
Sales and dispositions		—			(589	)		—			—			—			—		—			(589	)
Impairments*4		—			—			—			—			—			—		(932	)		(932	)
Translation adjustments		(65	)		(184	)		(3,073	)		(1,891	)		—			9,733		(559	)		3,961
Other*3*5		(201	)		(28,773	)		(521	)		(147	)		—			—		579			(29,063	)
Balance, March 31, 2012:
Goodwill — gross		134,635			36,925			138,320			100,956			3,020			138,255		39,866			591,977
Accumulated impairments		(5,320	)		(300	)		—			(306	)		(706	)		—		(8,587	)		(15,219	)
Goodwill		129,315			36,625			138,320			100,650			2,314			138,255		31,279			576,758

*1 The amounts in the Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) segment relate to the Sony Ericsson acquisition. Refer to Note 24.

*2 Substantially all of the acquisition amounts in the Pictures segment relate to the Game Show Network, LLC (“GSN”) acquisition. Refer to Note 24.

*3 Other primarily consists of purchase price adjustments for prior years and amounts reclassified as held for sale.

*4 During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012, Sony recorded impairment losses of 932 million yen in a reporting unit included in All Other. The impairment charge reflected the overall decline in the fair value of the reporting unit. The fair value of the reporting unit was estimated using the expected present value of future cash flows.

*5 During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012, Sony entered into a memorandum of understanding with a third-party to sell the chemical products business, which is included in the Professional, Device & Solutions segment. Sony classified certain assets and liabilities related to the business as held for sale as of March 31, 2012, and anticipates completing the divestiture during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013. No impairment loss was recognized as a result of the held for sale classification. The assets held for sale include 29,182 million yen of goodwill and it was reclassified to other assets in the consolidated balance sheets. Refer to Note 25.