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Goodwill (Text Block)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Goodwill Excluding Non Goodwill Intangibles [Abstract] 
Goodwill Disclosure [Text Block]
Goodwill

The following table reflects goodwill allocated to each reporting segment at September 30, 2011 and 2010:

 
Itron North
America
 
Itron
International
 
Total Company
 
(in thousands)
Goodwill balance at January 1, 2010
$
197,515

 
$
1,108,084

 
$
1,305,599

Effect of change in exchange rates
130

 
(69,146
)
 
(69,016
)
Goodwill balance at September 30, 2010
$
197,645

 
$
1,038,938

 
$
1,236,583

 
 
 
 
 
 
Goodwill balance at January 1, 2011
$
198,048

 
$
1,011,328

 
$
1,209,376

Goodwill acquired

 
10,251

 
10,251

Goodwill impairment

 
(540,400
)
 
(540,400
)
Effect of change in exchange rates
(317
)
 
35,696

 
35,379

Goodwill balance at September 30, 2011
$
197,731

 
$
516,875

 
$
714,606



As a result of the considerable decline in the price of our shares of common stock at the end of September 2011, our aggregate market value was significantly lower than the aggregate carrying value of our net assets. Therefore, we performed an interim impairment test of our goodwill as of September 30, 2011, which resulted in an estimated goodwill write-down of $540.4 million in the third quarter of 2011. Pursuant to the procedures required to complete the two step goodwill impairment test, we will finalize the amount of the goodwill impairment charge during the fourth quarter of 2011, which could result in an increase or decrease to the estimated impairment charge recognized in the third quarter. The goodwill impairment charge does not affect the debt covenants under the Company's existing credit facility.

The goodwill impairment was associated with two reporting units from the Itron International operating segment. The goodwill balance before and after the estimated goodwill impairment is as follows:

 
 
September 30, 2011
Reporting Unit
 
Before Estimated Impairment
 
Estimated Impairment
 
After Estimated Impairment
 
 
(in thousands)
Itron International - Electricity
 
$
363,626

 
$
216,085

 
$
147,541

Itron International - Water
 
389,308

 
324,315

 
64,993

 
 
 
 
$
540,400

 
 


Refer to Note 1: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for a description of our reporting units and the methods used to determine the fair value of our reporting units and the amount of goodwill impairment.