D1. Intangible assets

AP ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES

Goodwill

Goodwill arises in connection with business combinations where the consideration transferred exceeds the fair value of the acquired net assets. Goodwill is recognized at cost less accumulated impairment and is an intangible asset with an indefinite useful life. This means that goodwill is not amortized, but rather is tested annually for impairment. All goodwill is allocated to the cash-generating units that are expected to benefit from the synergies from the business combination. In connection with the sale of Group companies, the remaining carrying amount of the goodwill attributable to the divested unit is included in the capital gain/loss. Goodwill that arises in acquisitions of associates or joint ventures is included in the carrying amount of the respective associate or joint venture.

Trademarks

Trademarks arise either in connection with acquisitions or through agreements to purchase trademarks. Trademarks are recognized at cost after any accumulated amortization and accumulated impairment. Trademarks that have an indefinite useful life are not amortized, but rather are tested annually for impairment along with the impairment testing of goodwill. Trademarks with a limited useful life are amortized on a straight-line basis during their anticipated useful life, which varies between three and ten years.

Licenses, patents and similar rights

Intangible assets also include patents, licenses and other similar rights. Acquired assets of this type are recognized at cost and are amortized on a straight-line basis during their anticipated useful life, which varies between three and 20 years.

Customer relations

Customer relations are measured at fair value at the time of the acquisition. The value of these customer relations is amortized over their useful life, which is considered to be between three and 15 years.

Research and development

Research expenditure is recognized as an expense as incurred. Identifiable expenditure for development of new products and processes is capitalized to the extent it is expected to provide future economic benefits. In cases in which it is difficult to separate the research phase from the development phase in a project, the entire project is treated as research and expensed immediately. Capitalized expenditure is amortized on a straight-line basis from the date when the asset starts to be used during the estimated useful life of the asset. The amortization period is between five and ten years.

Impairment testing

Goodwill is tested annually for impairment. When testing for impairment, the assets are grouped in cash-generating units. SCA’s cash-generating units coincide with its defined operating segments. The test compares the carrying amounts of the cash-generating units with the recoverable amounts. The recoverable amount of each cash-generating unit is determined by discounting future cash flows in order to determine their value in use. The calculation of future cash flows is based on the strategic plans adopted by the Executive Management Team for the next three years. The carrying amount for the cash-generating unit includes goodwill, trademarks with indefinite useful lives and assets with definite useful lives, such as non-current assets, trademarks and working capital. Effects of expansion investments are excluded when calculating the value in use.

The value of depreciated assets is tested for impairment whenever there are indications that the carrying amount might not be recoverable.

In cases in which the carrying amount of an asset or cash-generating unit exceeds its estimated recoverable amount, an impairment loss is recognized on the asset down to the recoverable amount.

An impairment loss recognized earlier is reversed, if the reasons for the impairment no longer exist. The carrying amount after the reversal is limited to what it would have been had no past impairment been recognized. Impairment losses on goodwill are never reversed.

KAA KEY ASSESSMENTS AND ASSUMPTIONS

In connection with the annual impairment testing of goodwill, the recoverable amount is calculated. The recoverable amount for the cash-generating units is determined by calculating value in use. Calculation of the value in use is based on the three-year strategy plans adopted by the Executive Management Team, which in turn are based on assumptions and assessments. The most important assessments and assumptions pertain to forecasts for organic growth, the profit margin and the discount rate used. The discount rate used in the present value calculation of the anticipated future cash flows is the current weighted average cost of capital (WACC) established within the Group for the markets in which the cash-generating units conduct operations.

Profit margin assumptions are based on current market prices and costs with an addition for real price reductions and cost inflation as well as assumed productivity development. Growth assumptions follow the Group’s target of an average annual growth of 3 to 4%, depending on the operating segment, which is in line with historic outcome and expected global market growth.

The expected sustained future cash flow for periods that are beyond the planning horizon of the strategy plan are extrapolated for a ten-year period from the final year of the strategy plan using assumed sustained growth of 2%. The value of the cash flows for the period beyond ten years is calculated by applying an operating surplus multiple to estimated sustained cash flow.

Goodwill

SEKm

2016

2015

2014

Accumulated costs

19,452

15,472

15,806

Accumulated impairment

–195

–60

–89

Total

19,257

15,412

15,717

 

 

 

 

Value, January 1

15,412

15,717

13,785

Company acquisitions

3,379

308

Company divestments

Reclassifications

46

Impairment

–135

–87

Translation differences

601

–218

1,578

BS Value, December 31

19,257

15,412

15,717

Intangible assets excluding goodwill

 

Trademarks

 

Licenses, patents and similar rights

 

Capitalized development costs

 

Total Other intangible assets

SEKm

2016

2015

2014

 

2016

2015

2014

 

2016

2015

2014

 

2016

2015

2014

1)

Amortization of Trademarks and Customer relations is included in Sales, general and administration while for Licenses and patents is included in Cost of goods sold.

Accumulated costs

6,782

6,647

6,552

 

4,528

3,889

3,737

 

273

286

267

 

11,583

10,822

10,556

Accumulated amortization

–318

–244

–118

 

–2,937

–2,471

–2,267

 

–173

–182

–184

 

–3,428

–2,897

–2,569

Accumulated impairment

–452

–532

–61

 

–5

–2

–8

 

–33

–36

–33

 

–490

–570

–102

Total

6,012

5,871

6,373

 

1,586

1,416

1,462

 

67

68

50

 

7,665

7,355

7,885

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Value, January 1

5,871

6,373

7,129

 

1,416

1,462

833

 

68

50

57

 

7,355

7,885

8,019

Investments

 

155

221

115

 

10

35

6

 

165

256

121

Sales and disposals

 

–1

–2

–1

 

 

–1

–2

–1

Company acquisitions

33

 

180

20

 

3

 

213

23

Company divestments

 

 

 

Reclassifications

76

–1,242

 

128

591

 

3

–1

 

131

76

–652

Amortization 1)

–59

–27

–33

 

–324

–251

–233

 

–14

–15

–15

 

–397

–293

–281

Impairment

–464

–36

 

–2

 

–3

 

–2

–467

–36

Translation differences

167

–87

555

 

34

–14

137

 

0

1

0

 

201

–100

692

Value, December 31

6,012

5,871

6,373

 

1,586

1,416

1,462

 

67

68

50

 

7,665

7,355

7,885

TD1:1 Emission allowances, net value

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

85

85

78

BS Value, December 31 including emission allowances

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,750

7,440

7,963

Impairment testing

Annual testing for impairment of goodwill and trademarks with indefinite useful lives is carried out in the fourth quarter per operating segment. The testing for 2016 showed that no impairment was needed. Sensitivity analyses show that reasonable changes to key parameters do not give rise to any impairment requirement. In addition to annual impairment testing of the cash-generating units, which coincide with the defined operating segments, individual assets, goodwill and trademarks with indefinite useful lives are tested when there is an indication of an impairment need. During the period, goodwill was impaired by SEK –135m in conjunction with the discontinuation of the baby diaper operation in Mexico, SEK –67m, and the discontinuation of Tork SmartFresh, SEK –68m. The recoverable amount of the trademarks was determined through a present value calculation, in which expected future cash flows were discounted using a WACC before tax varying from 5.8% to 19.2%, depending on the market, to determine the value in use. The WACC before tax used in the impairment testing of goodwill is presented in the table below.

Distribution by operating segment

 

Goodwill

 

Trademarks

 

WACC, before tax %

SEKm

2016

2015

2014

 

2016

2015

2014

 

2016

2015

2014

Personal Care

3,036

2,757

3,338

 

1,109

1,069

1,325

 

11.3

10.3

10.1

Tissue

16,216

12,655

12,322

 

4,903

4,802

5,048

 

8.3

8.4

8.3

Forest Products

5

57

 

 

5.7

6.1

7.2

Total

19,257

15,412

15,717

 

6,012

5,871

6,373

 

 

 

 

AP ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES

Emission allowances and costs for carbon dioxide emissions

SCA participates in the European system for emission allowances.

When emission allowances relating to carbon dioxide emissions are received from an individual EU state, they are recognized as an intangible asset and as deferred income (liability). Allowances are received free of charge and measured and recognized at market value as of the date to which the allocation pertains. During the period, the initial liability for emission allowances received is dissolved over profit or loss as income in pace with carbon dioxide emissions made. If the emission allowances received do not cover emissions made, SCA makes a provision for the deficit valued at the market value on the balance sheet date. Sales of surplus emission allowances are recognized as income on the delivery date.

If the market price of emission allowances on the balance sheet date is less than recognized cost, any surplus emission allowances that are not required to cover emissions made are impaired to the market price applying on the balance sheet date. In conjunction with this, the remaining part of the deferred income is recognized as income by a corresponding amount and therefore no net effect occurs in profit or loss. The emission allowances are used as payment in the settlement with the state regarding liabilities for emissions.

TD1:1 Emission allowances

SEKm

2016

2015

2014

Accumulated costs

98

93

88

Accumulated revaluation of surplus

–13

–8

–10

Total

85

85

78

 

 

 

 

Value, January 1

85

78

117

Emission allowances received

104

93

77

Purchases

4

0

Sales

–30

–29

–57

Reclassifications

Impairment

–3

–0

Settlement with the government

–71

–54

–58

Revaluation of surplus

–2

0

–3

Translation differences

–1

–4

2

Value, December 31

85

85

78