Intangible assets are defined as identifiable non-monetary assets that cannot be seen, touched or physically measured. Life Technologies's intangible assets for the quarter that ended in Sep. 2013 was €4,354 Mil.
Life Technologies Intangible Assets Historical Data
The historical data trend for Life Technologies's Intangible Assets can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Intangible assets are defined as identifiable non-monetary assets that cannot be seen, touched or physically measured. Examples of intangible assets include trade secrets, copyrights, patents, trademarks. If a company acquires assets at the prices above the book value, it may carry goodwill on its balance sheet. Goodwill reflects the difference between the price the company paid and the book value of the assets.
Life Technologies (FRA:IVN) Intangible Assets Explanation
If a company (company A) received a patent through their own work, though it has value, it does not show up on its balance sheet as an intangible asset. However, if company A sells this patent to company B, it will show up on company B's balance sheet as an intangible asset.
The same applies to brand names, trade secrets etc. For instance, Coca-Cola's brand is extremely valuable, but the brand does not appear on its balance sheet, because the brand was never acquired.
Some intangibles are amortized. Amortization is the depreciation of intangible assets.
Many intangibles are not amortized. They may still be written down when the company decides the asset is impaired.
Whenever you see an increase in goodwill over a number of years, you can assume it's because the company is out buying other businesses above book value. GOOD if buying businesses with durable competitive advantage.
If goodwill stays the same, the company when acquiring other companies is either paying less than book value or not acquiring. Businesses with moats never sell for less than book value.
Intangibles acquired are on balance sheet at fair value.
Internally developed brand names (Coke, Wrigleys, Band-Aid) however are not reflected on the balance sheet.
One of the reasons competitive advantage power can remain hidden for so long.
Be Aware
Companies may change the way intangible assets are amortized, and this will affect their reported earnings.
Life Technologies Intangible Assets Related Terms
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Life Technologies Corp began operations as a California partnership in 1987 and incorporated in California in 1989. In 1997, the Company reincorporated as a Delaware corporation. On November 21, 2008, Invitrogen Corporation, a predecessor company to Life Technologies, completed the acquisition of Applied Biosystems, Inc. to form a new company called Life Technologies Corporation. The Company is a global life sciences company dedicated to improving the human condition. The Company's systems, consumables and services enable researchers and commercial markets to accelerate scientific exploration, to discoveries and developments that better the quality of life. The Company's products are also used in forensics, food and water testing and other industrial applications. The Company delivers a range of products and services, including systems, instruments, reagents, software, and custom services. Its growing portfolio of products includes innovative technologies for capillary electrophoresis-based sequencing, next generation sequencing, PCR, sample preparation, cell culture, RNA interference analysis, functional genomics research, proteomics and cell biology applications, as well as clinical diagnostic applications, forensics and animal, food, pharmaceutical and water testing analysis. The Company also provides its customers convenient and value-added purchasing options through thousands of sales and service professionals, e-commerce capabilities and onsite supply center solutions. The Company operates is business under three divisions: Molecular Biology Systems ('MBS'), Cell Systems ('CS'), and Genetic Systems ('GS'). The MBS division includes the molecular biology-based technologies, including basic and real-time PCR, RNAi, DNA synthesis, sample prep, transfection, cloning and protein expression profiling, protein analysis and thermo-cycler instrumentation. The CS division includes all product lines used in the study of cell function, including cell culture media and sera, stem cells and related tools, cellular imaging products, antibodies, drug discovery services and cell therapy related products. The GS division includes capillary electrophoresis systems and reagents and next generation sequencing systems and reagents, including the SOLiDTM and Ion TorrentTM systems, as well as reagent kits developed specifically for applied markets, such as forensics and food safety, animal health and pharmaceutical quality monitoring. The Company offers many different products and services and is continually developing and/or acquiring others. Some of its specific product categories include the following: 'High-throughput' gene cloning and expression technology; Pre-cast electrophoresis products; Antibodies; Magnetic beads; Molecular Probes fluorescence-based technologies; Transfection reagents; PCR and Real Time PCR systems and reagents; and RNA Interference reagents. The Company's manufacturing operations require a variety of raw materials, elec
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