Goodwill and Acquired Client Relationships

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Goodwill and Acquired Client Relationships

The following tables present the changes in the Company’s consolidated Affiliates’ Goodwill and components of Acquired client relationships (net):



	Goodwill
	2016			2017
Balance, as of January 1,	$	2,668.4		$	2,628.1
Foreign currency translation	(40.3		)	34.4
Balance, as of December 31,	$	2,628.1		$	2,662.5

As of September 30, 2017, the Company completed impairment assessments on its goodwill and no impairments were indicated.



	Acquired Client Relationships (Net)
	Definite-lived									Indefinite-lived			Total
	Gross Book Value			Accumulated Amortization			Net Book Value			Net Book Value			Net Book Value
Balance, as of December 31, 2015	$	1,301.8		$	(680.4	)	$	621.4		$	1,065.0		$	1,686.4
Intangible amortization and impairments	—			(107.7		)	(107.7		)	(2.5		)	(110.2		)
Foreign currency translation	(11.8		)	—			(11.8		)	(67.0		)	(78.8		)
Balance, as of December 31, 2016	$	1,290.0		$	(788.1	)	$	501.9		$	995.5		$	1,497.4
Intangible amortization and impairments	—			(86.4		)	(86.4		)	—			(86.4		)
Foreign currency translation	5.5			—			5.5			33.2			38.7
Balance, as of December 31, 2017	$	1,295.5		$	(874.5	)	$	421.0		$	1,028.7		$	1,449.7

Definite-lived acquired client relationships are amortized over their expected period of economic benefit. The Company recorded amortization expense, in Intangible amortization and impairments, for these relationships of $115.4 million, $107.7 million and $86.4 million, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Based on relationships existing as of December 31, 2017, the Company estimates that its consolidated annual amortization expense will be approximately $85 million in 2018 and 2019, $50 million in 2020 and $30 million in 2021 and 2022.

During 2017, the Company completed impairment assessments on its definite-lived and indefinite-lived acquired client relationships and no impairments were indicated.

- 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.

+ References + Details