Goodwill, Customer Relationships And Other Intangible Assets

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Goodwill, Customer Relationships And Other Intangible Assets [Abstract]

Goodwill, Customer Relationships And Other Intangible Assets

(3) Goodwill, Customer Relationships and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill, customer relationships and other intangible assets as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 consisted of the following:

	Successor		Predecessor
	September 30, 2011		December 31, 2010
	(Dollars in millions)
Goodwill	$	9,282		—
Customer relationships, less accumulated amortization of $401 and $—	$	5,651		—
Other intangible assets subject to amortization
Capitalized software, less accumulated amortization of $236 and $1,741	$	1,541		888

At September 30, 2011, the gross carrying amounts of goodwill, customer relationships and other intangible assets were $17.111 billion. These assets were recorded at fair value on April 1, 2011 as a result of CenturyLink's indirect acquisition of us. We expect to complete the final determination of these acquisition date fair value estimates and related estimated lives for amortizable intangible assets no later than the first quarter of 2012.

Total amortization expense for intangible assets was as follows:

	Successor				Predecessor
	Three months ended September 30, 2011		Six months ended September 30, 2011		Three  months ended March  31, 2011		Three months ended September 30, 2010		Nine months ended September 30, 2010
	(Dollars in millions)
Amortization expense for intangible assets	$	318		637		58		56		165

We amortize customer relationships primarily over an estimated life of 10 years, using either the sum-of-the-years-digits or straight-line methods, depending on the type of customer. We amortize capitalized software using the straight-line method over estimated lives ranging up to seven years. We estimate that total successor amortization expense for intangible assets for the three months ending December 31, 2011 and for the successor years ending December 31, 2012 through 2015 will be as follows:

	(Dollars in millions)
Three months ending December 31, 2011	$	316
Year ending December 31,
2012	$	1,140
2013	$	1,053
2014	$	965
2015	$	844

We periodically review the estimated lives and methods used to amortize our intangible assets. The actual amounts of amortization expense may differ materially from our estimates, depending on the results of our periodic reviews and our final determinations of acquisition date fair value related to our intangible assets.

We are required to review goodwill recorded in business combinations for impairment at least annually, or more frequently if events or a change in circumstances indicate that an impairment may have occurred. Our annual measurement date for testing goodwill impairment is September 30. We are required to write-down the value of goodwill only in periods in which the recorded amount of goodwill exceeds the fair value. The impairment testing is done at the reporting unit level; in reviewing the criteria for reporting units when allocating the goodwill resulting from our indirect acquisition by CenturyLink, it was determined that we are one reportable unit.

We early adopted the provisions of ASU 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment, during the third quarter, which permits us to make a qualitative assessment of whether it is more likely that not that a reporting unit's fair value is less than its carrying amount before applying the two step goodwill impairment test. If, after completing our qualitative assessment we determine that it is more likely that not that the carrying value exceeds estimated fair value, we compare the fair value to our carrying value (including goodwill). If the estimated fair value is greater than the carrying value, we conclude that no impairment exists. If the estimated fair value of the reporting unit is less than the carrying value, a second calculation is required in which the implied fair value of goodwill is compared to its carrying value. If the implied fair value of goodwill is less than its carrying value, goodwill must be written down to its implied fair value. We elected to early adopt the provisions of ASU 2011-8 and perform a qualitative assessment given the six month proximity of the goodwill impairment date and the acquisition date resulting in the creation of the goodwill.

We have accounted for the CentruryLink's indirect acquisition of us under the acquisition method of accounting, which resulted in the assignment of the aggregate consideration to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on-preliminary estimates of their acquisition date fair values. The fair value of the aggregate consideration transferred exceeded the acquisition date fair value of the recorded tangible and intangible assets, and assumed liabilities by an estimated $9.282 billion, which has been recognized as goodwill. The determination of the fair values of the acquired assets and assumed liabilities (and the related determination of estimated lives of depreciable tangible and identifiable intangible assets) requires significant judgment. As such, we have not completed our valuation analysis and calculations in sufficient detail necessary to arrive at the final estimates of the fair values of the acquired assets and assumed liabilities, along with the related allocations to goodwill and intangible assets. The amounts recorded related to the acquisition are preliminary and subject to revision pending the final fair market valuation analysis. We expect to complete our final fair value determinations no later than the first quarter of 2012. Our final fair value determinations may be significantly different than those reflected in our consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2011.

As a result of the acquisition and related acquisition accounting, the carrying value of our assets and liabilities equaled our fair value as of April 1, 2011. A decrease in our fair value in excess of a reduction in our carrying value will result in us having a carrying value in excess of our fair value, which may result in an impairment of our goodwill. There is significant judgment in estimating the fair value of the company. The factors that most significantly impact our estimate of fair value include forecasted cash flows and risk adjusted discount rate. The applicable risk adjusted discount rate is impacted by the market risk free rate of return and our debt risk rating.

The qualitative analysis included assessing the impact of changes in certain factors from April 1, 2011 (the acquisition date on which all assets and liabilities were assigned a fair value) to September 30, 2011 (the goodwill impairment testing date), including (i) changes in forecasted operating results and comparing actual results to those utilized in the April 1, 2011 fair value assignment; (ii) changes in our weighted average cost of capital from April 1, 2011 to September 30, 2011; (iii) changes in the industry or our competitive environment since the acquisition date; (iv) changes in the overall economy, our market share, and interest rates since the acquisition date; (v) trends in the stock price of CenturyLink and related market capitalization and enterprise values; (vi) trends; (vi) trends in peer companies total enterprise value metrics; (vii) control premiums paid for recent industry transactions; and (viii) additional factors such as management turnover, changes in regulation, and changes in litigation matters.

Based on our qualitative assessment, we concluded that it was more likely that not that the estimated fair value of our reporting unit exceeded its carrying value as of September 30, 2011 and thus, determined it was not necessary to perform the two step goodwill impairment test. We believe the more impactful assessments include our actual results compared to those forecasted as of April 1, 2011 and the decline in our weighted average cost of capital since April 1, 2011. To date, our actual operating results have been comparable to those forecasted as of April 1, 2011 and, as of September 30, 2011, we believe the forecasted results of future periods are not materially different than those used as of April 1, 2011.