Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

v3.6.0.2
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets  
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

(9)Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

 

There were no changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015. 

 

Other intangible assets not subject to amortization, not separately disclosed, are tradenames ($930 million) at December 31, 2016 and 2015 and franchise rights owned by Braves Holdings ($143 million) as of December 31, 2016 and 2015. We identified these assets as indefinite life intangible assets after considering the expected use of the assets, the regulatory and economic environment within which they are used and the effects of obsolescence on their use. SIRIUS XM's Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) licenses are currently scheduled to expire in 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2025. Prior to expiration, SIRIUS XM is required to apply for a renewal of its FCC licenses. The renewal and extension of its licenses is reasonably certain at minimal cost, which is expensed as incurred. Each of the FCC licenses authorizes SIRIUS XM to use the broadcast spectrum, which is a renewable, reusable resource that does not deplete or exhaust over time.

 

Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization

 

Intangible assets subject to amortization are comprised of the following:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2016

 

December 31, 2015

 

 

    

Gross

    

 

    

Net

    

Gross

    

 

    

Net

 

 

 

carrying

 

Accumulated

 

carrying

 

carrying

 

Accumulated

 

carrying

 

 

 

amount

 

amortization

 

amount

 

amount

 

amortization

 

amount

 

 

 

amounts in millions

 

Customer relationships

 

$

830

 

(228)

 

602

 

838

 

(179)

 

659

 

Licensing agreements

 

 

316

 

(109)

 

207

 

316

 

(81)

 

235

 

Other

 

 

686

 

(423)

 

263

 

609

 

(406)

 

203

 

Total

 

$

1,832

 

(760)

 

1,072

 

1,763

 

(666)

 

1,097

 

 

Customer relationships are amortized over 10-15 years and licensing agreements are amortized over 15 years. Amortization expense was $168 million, $155 million and $150 million for the years ended December 31, 2016,  2015 and 2014, respectively. Based on its amortizable intangible assets as of December 31, 2016, Liberty expects that amortization expense will be as follows for the next five years (amounts in millions):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017

    

$

166

 

2018

 

$

172

 

2019

 

$

124

 

2020

 

$

110

 

2021

 

$

101