Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Goodwill

The following table presents the changes in the carrying amount of our goodwill for the three months ended March 31, 2015 (in thousands):



	Animal Hospital			Laboratory			All Other			Total
Balance as of December 31, 2014
Goodwill	$	1,305,558		$	97,535		$	142,825		$	1,545,918
Accumulated impairment losses	—			—			(130,057		)	(130,057		)
Subtotal	1,305,558			97,535			12,768			1,415,861
Goodwill acquired	13,563			21,000			255			34,818
Foreign translation adjustment	(10,981		)	(47		)	—			(11,028		)
Other ⁽¹⁾	(49		)	(4		)	—			(53		)
Balance as of March 31, 2015
Goodwill	1,308,091			118,484			143,080			1,569,655
Accumulated impairment losses	—			—			(130,057		)	(130,057		)
Subtotal	$	1,308,091		$	118,484		$	13,023		$	1,439,598

____________________________


⁽¹⁾	"Other" primarily includes measurement period adjustments, a partnership buyout and a write-off related to the sale of an animal hospital.

Other Intangible Assets

Our acquisition related amortizable intangible assets at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 are as follows (in thousands):



	As of March 31, 2015							As of December 31, 2014
	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount
Non-contractual customer relationships	$	99,522	$	(47,541	)	$	51,981	$	101,056	$	(45,295	)	$	55,761
Covenants not-to-compete	10,260		(4,656		)	5,604		10,093		(4,422		)	5,671
Favorable lease assets	9,467		(5,078		)	4,389		9,576		(4,962		)	4,614
Trademarks	12,306		(3,622		)	8,684		13,503		(4,015		)	9,488
Contracts	100		(19		)	81		100		(11		)	89
Technology	1,627		(499		)	1,128		1,627		(414		)	1,213
Franchise rights	11,730		(684		)	11,046		11,730		(391		)	11,339
Total	$	145,012	$	(62,099	)	$	82,913	$	147,685	$	(59,510	)	$	88,175


3.	Goodwill and Other Long-Lived Assets, continued

The following table summarizes our aggregate amortization expense related to acquisition related intangible assets (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2015		2014
Aggregate amortization expense	$	5,526	$	5,147

The estimated amortization expense related to acquisition related intangible assets for the remainder of 2015 and each of the succeeding years thereafter, as of March 31, 2015, is as follows (in thousands):



Finite-lived intangible assets:
Remainder of 2015	$	16,156
2016	18,936
2017	13,102
2018	9,773
2019	6,770
Thereafter	17,136
Total	$	81,873
Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
Trademarks	1,040
Total intangible assets	$	82,913

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the aggregate amount of goodwill and a description of intangible assets, which may include (a) for amortizable intangible assets (also referred to as finite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, the amount of any significant residual value, and the weighted-average amortization period, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization (also referred to as indefinite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, and (c) the amount of research and development assets acquired and written off in the period, including the line item in the income statement in which the amounts written off are aggregated, if not readily apparent from the income statement. Also discloses (a) for amortizable intangibles assets in total and by major class, the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization, the total amortization expense for the period, and the estimated aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization the carrying amount in total and by major class, and (c) for goodwill, in total and for each reportable segment, the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the period (including the aggregate amount of goodwill acquired, the aggregate amount of impairment losses recognized, and the amount of goodwill included in the gain (loss) on disposal of a reporting unit). If any part of goodwill has not been allocated to a reportable segment, discloses the unallocated amount and the reasons for not allocating. For each impairment loss recognized related to an intangible asset (excluding goodwill), discloses: (a) a description of the impaired intangible asset and the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method for determining fair value, (c) the caption in the income statement or the statement of activities in which the impairment loss is aggregated, and (d) the segment in which the impaired intangible asset is reported. For each goodwill impairment loss recognized, discloses: (a) a description of the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method of determining the fair value of the associated reporting unit, and (c) if a recognized impairment loss is an estimate not finalized and the reasons why the estimate is not final. May also disclose the nature and amount of any significant adjustments made to a previous estimate of an impairment loss.

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