Impairment of goodwill, intangible assets and property, plant and equipment:
We review the carrying amounts of goodwill, intangible assets and property, plant and equipment for impairment on an annual basis and whenever events or changes in circumstances (triggering events) indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or CGU may not be recoverable. If any such indication exists, we test the carrying amount of an asset or a CGU for impairment. In addition to an assessment of triggering events during the year, we conduct an annual impairment assessment in the fourth quarter of the year to correspond with our annual planning cycle. Judgment is required in the determination of our CGUs and whether events or changes in circumstances during the year are indicators that a review for impairment should be conducted prior to the annual assessment.
We recognize an impairment loss when the carrying amount of an asset, CGU or group of CGUs exceeds its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount of an asset, CGU or group of CGUs is measured as the greater of its expected value-in-use and its fair value less costs to sell. The process of determining the recoverable amount is subjective and requires management to exercise significant judgment in estimating future growth, profitability, discount and terminal growth rates, and in projecting future cash flows, among other factors. Our expected value-in-use is determined based on the discounted cash flows of the relevant asset, CGU or group of CGUs. The process of determining fair value less costs to sell requires valuations and use of appraisals. Where applicable, we engage independent brokers to obtain market prices to estimate our real property and other asset values. We recognize impairment losses in our consolidated statement of operations. We first allocate impairment losses in respect of a CGU or group of CGUs to reduce the carrying amount of its goodwill, and then to reduce the carrying amount of other assets in such CGU or group of CGUs generally on a pro rata basis. See notes 9, 16(a) and 16(b).
We do not reverse impairment losses for goodwill in future periods. We reverse impairment losses for property, plant and equipment and intangible assets if the losses we recognized in prior periods no longer exist or have decreased as a result of changes in circumstances. At each reporting date, we review for indicators that could change the estimates we used to determine the recoverable amount of the relevant assets. The amount of the reversal will be limited to the carrying amount that would have been determined, net of depreciation or amortization, had we recognized no impairment loss in prior periods.
