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Acquisitions
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]  
Acquisitions
Acquisitions

WhatsApp

In October 2014, we completed our acquisition of WhatsApp Inc. (WhatsApp), a privately-held cross-platform mobile messaging company that is expected to provide us with strategic advantages in the mobile ecosystem and expand our mobile messaging offerings. Pursuant to the merger agreement, we issued approximately 178 million shares of our Class A common stock and paid $4.59 billion in cash. We also granted 46 million RSUs to WhatsApp employees which are recognized as share-based compensation expense over the employees' required service periods.
    
Upon acquisition, WhatsApp became our wholly-owned subsidiary. The acquisition was accounted for as a business combination. This method requires, among other things, that assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination be recognized at their fair values as of the acquisition date.

The following table summarizes the components of the preliminary purchase consideration transferred based on the closing price of $77.56 per share of our common stock as of the acquisition date (in millions):
Cash
$
4,589

Common stock
13,787

Less: post-acquisition share-based compensation and other compensation expense
(1,067
)
Less: cash and promissory notes acquired on acquisition date
(116
)
Purchase consideration
$
17,193


Of the $1.07 billion of share-based compensation and other compensation expense excluded from the purchase consideration above, $188 million was accounted for as share-based compensation expense, of which approximately $50 million was settled in cash, at closing, as a result of the vesting provisions of WhatsApp employee awards on the acquisition date. The remaining $879 million (approximately 8.5 million shares of Class A common stock and $219 million in cash) is subject to continuous employment and will be recognized as share-based compensation and other compensation expense over the required service period of up to three years.
The following unaudited pro forma information presents the combined results of operations as if the acquisition had been completed on January 1, 2013, the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. The unaudited pro forma results include: (i) amortization associated with preliminary estimates for the acquired intangible assets; (ii) recognition of the post-acquisition share-based compensation and other compensation expense; (iii) share-based compensation expense related to the 46 million RSUs granted to WhatsApp employees; and (iv) the associated tax impact on these unaudited pro forma adjustments.
The unaudited pro forma results do not reflect any cost saving synergies from operating efficiencies or the effect of the incremental costs incurred in integrating the two companies. Accordingly, these unaudited pro forma results are presented for informational purpose only and are not necessarily indicative of what the actual results of operations of the combined company would have been if the acquisition had occurred at the beginning of the period presented, nor are they indicative of future results of operations (in millions):
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2014
 
2013
Revenue
$
12,487

 
$
7,882

Net income
$
1,757

 
$
65

The unaudited pro forma combined net income for the year ended December 31, 2013 includes a non-recurring pro forma adjustment of $188 million of share-based compensation expense recognized at closing as a result of the vesting provisions of WhatsApp employee awards on the acquisition date.
The tax withholdings related to the WhatsApp vested merger consideration were funded by net share settlement. The amount remitted to the tax authorities for the employees' tax obligation to the tax authorities was reflected as a financing activity within our consolidated statements of cash flows.
Oculus
In July 2014, we completed our acquisition of Oculus VR, Inc. (Oculus), a privately-held company developing virtual reality technology that is expected to expand our platform. Pursuant to the merger agreement, we issued 23 million shares of our Class B common stock and paid $400 million in cash. Furthermore, up to an additional three million shares of our Class B common stock and $60 million in cash will be payable contingent upon the completion of certain milestones. We determined the acquisition-date fair value of the contingent consideration liability, based on the likelihood of payment related to the contingent earn-out clauses, as part of the consideration transferred. For contingent consideration to be settled in common stock, we use the fair value of the shares as of the acquisition date, which is remeasured on each reporting date until settlement. See Note 5 “Fair Value Measurements" for subsequent measurements of this contingent liability. The earn-out portion that would be payable to employee equityholders is subject to continuous employment through the applicable payment dates and as such has been excluded from purchase consideration transferred and accounted for as share-based compensation and other compensation expense.
We have accounted for this acquisition as a business combination. This method requires, among other things, that assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination be recognized at their fair values as of the acquisition date and that in-process research and development (IPR&D) be recorded at fair value on the balance sheet regardless of the likelihood of success of the related product or technology.
The following table summarizes the components of the preliminary purchase consideration transferred based on the closing price of our common stock as of the acquisition date (in millions):
Cash
$
400

Common stock
1,601

Less: post-acquisition share-based compensation and other compensation expense
(297
)
Less: cash acquired on acquisition date
(20
)
Total purchase consideration, excluding contingent consideration
$
1,684

Contingent consideration
169

Purchase consideration
$
1,853


Of the $297 million of share-based compensation and other compensation expense excluded from the purchase consideration above, approximately $13 million was recognized as share-based compensation at closing as a result of the vesting provisions of employee replacement awards on the acquisition date. The remaining $284 million is subject to continuous employment and will be recognized as share-based compensation and other compensation expense over the required service period of four years.
Other acquisitions
During the year ended December 31, 2014, we also completed several other business acquisitions for total consideration of $485 million. These acquisitions were not material to our consolidated financial statements either individually or in the aggregate.
We have included the financial results of WhatsApp, Oculus and the other business acquisitions, which are not material, in our consolidated financial statements from their respective dates of acquisition. Pro forma results of operations related to our acquisitions, other than WhatsApp, during the year ended December 31, 2014 have not been presented because they are not material to our consolidated statements of income, either individually or in the aggregate.
The fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed from our acquisition of WhatsApp and Oculus was based on a preliminary valuation and our estimates and assumptions are subject to change within the measurement period. The primary areas of the purchase price that are not yet finalized are related to income taxes and residual goodwill. Measurement period adjustments that we determine to be material will be applied retrospectively to the period of acquisition in our consolidated financial statements and, depending on the nature of the adjustments, other periods subsequent to the period of acquisition could also be affected.
The following table summarizes the allocation of estimated fair values of the net assets acquired during the year ended December 31, 2014, including the related estimated useful lives, where applicable:
 
WhatsApp
 
Oculus
 
Other
 
(in millions)
 
Useful lives (in years)
 
(in millions)
 
Useful lives (in years)
 
(in millions)
 
Useful lives (in years)
Finite-lived intangible assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Acquired users
$
2,026

 
7
 
$

 
 
 
$

 
 
Trade names
448

 
5
 
113

 
7
 
26

 
5
Acquired technology
288

 
5
 
235

 
5
 
68

 
3 - 5
Other
21

 
2
 
19

 
2
 
61

 
5
IPR&D

 
 
 
60

 
 
 

 
 
(Liabilities assumed) assets acquired
(33
)
 
 
 

 
 
 
103

 
 
Deferred tax liabilities
(899
)
 
 
 
(107
)
 
 
 
(48
)
 
 
Net assets acquired
$
1,851

 
 
 
$
320

 
 
 
$
210

 
 
Goodwill
15,342

 
 
 
1,533

 
 
 
275

 
 
Total fair value consideration
$
17,193

 
 
 
$
1,853

 
 
 
$
485

 
 


IPR&D intangible assets represent the value assigned to acquired research and development projects that, as of the acquisition date had not established technological feasibility and had no alternative future use. The IPR&D intangible assets are capitalized and accounted for as indefinite-lived intangible assets and are subject to impairment testing until completion or abandonment of the projects. Upon successful completion of each project and launch of the product, we will make a separate determination of useful life of the IPR&D intangible assets and the related amortization will be recorded as an expense over the estimated useful life of the specific projects.

Goodwill generated from the WhatsApp acquisition is primarily attributable to expected synergies from future growth, from potential monetization opportunities, from strategic advantages provided in the mobile ecosystem, and from expansion of our mobile messaging offerings. Goodwill generated from all other business acquisitions completed during the year ended December 31, 2014 is primarily attributable to expected synergies from future growth, from potential monetization opportunities and, also for Oculus, as a potential to expand our platform. All goodwill generated during this period is not deductible for tax purposes.