Celestica announced its Q4 earnings this week and disclosed that it has written off all of its remaining goodwill. Their explanation from their financial statement notes is set out below. It’s interesting from the perspective of how they describe the mechanics of the write-down:
We are required to evaluate goodwill annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that we may not recover the carrying amount. Absent any triggering events during the year, we conduct our goodwill assessment in the fourth quarter of the year to correspond with our planning cycle. We test impairment, using the two-step method, at the reporting unit level by comparing the reporting unit’s carrying amount to its fair value. To the extent a reporting unit’s carrying amount exceeds its fair value, we may have an impairment of goodwill. All of our goodwill is allocated to our Asia reporting unit.
During the fourth quarter of 2008, we performed our annual goodwill impairment assessment. Our goodwill balance prior to the impairment charge was $850.5 and was established primarily as a result of an acquisition in 2001. We completed our step one analysis using a combination of valuation approaches including a market capitalization approach, multiples approach and discounted cash flow. The market capitalization approach uses our publicly traded stock price to determine fair value. The multiples approach uses comparable market multiples to arrive at a fair value and the discounted cash flow method uses revenue and expense projections and risk-adjusted discount rates. The process of determining fair value is subjective and requires management to exercise a significant amount of judgment in determining future growth rates, discount and tax rates and other factors. The current economic environment has impacted our ability to forecast future demand and has in turn resulted in our use of higher discount rates, reflecting the risk and uncertainty in current markets. The results of our step one analysis indicated potential impairment in our Asia reporting unit, which was corroborated by a combination of factors including a significant and sustained decline in our market capitalization, which is significantly below our book value, and the deteriorating macro environment, which has resulted in a decline in expected future demand. We therefore performed the second step of the goodwill impairment assessment to quantify the amount of impairment. This involved calculating the implied fair value of goodwill, determined in a manner similar to a purchase price allocation, and comparing the residual amount to the carrying amount of goodwill. Based on our analysis incorporating the declining market capitalization in 2008, as well as the significant end market deterioration and economic uncertainties impacting expected future demand, we concluded that the entire goodwill balance of $850.5 was impaired. The goodwill impairment charge is non-cash in nature and does not affect our liquidity, cash flows from operating activities, or our compliance with debt covenants. The goodwill impairment charge is not deductible for income tax purposes and, therefore, we have not recorded a corresponding tax benefit in 2008.
