Goodwill

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Goodwill [Abstract]

Goodwill

NOTE 8:  Goodwill

The Company has two reporting units with goodwill, the Modular Vision Systems Division (MVSD) and the Surface Inspection Systems Division (SISD), which are also reportable segments.

The changes in the carrying value of goodwill were as follows (in thousands):

	MVSD			SISD			Consolidated
Balance as of December 31, 2009	$	77,840		$	4,764		$	82,604
Foreign currency exchange rate changes		(198	)		(202	)		(400	)
Balance as of December 31, 2010		77,642			4,562			82,204
Foreign currency exchange rate changes		(86	)		(89	)		(175	)
Balance as of December 31, 2011	$	77,556		$	4,473		$	82,029

In the third quarter of 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) intended to reduce the cost and complexity of the annual goodwill impairment test by providing entities with an option to perform a qualitative assessment, to determine whether further impairment testing is necessary. For its 2011 analysis of goodwill, management elected to perform a qualitative assessment as permitted by the new ASU. Based on this assessment, management does not believe that it is more likely than not that the carrying value of either reporting unit exceeds its fair value. Factors that management considered in this assessment include macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, overall financial performance (both current and projected), changes in management or strategy, and changes in the composition or carrying amount of net assets. In addition, management took into consideration the goodwill valuation performed under the last quantitative analysis as of October 4, 2010. At that date, the fair value of the MVSD unit exceeded its carrying value by approximately 208%, while the fair value of the SISD unit exceeded its carrying value by approximately 119%. As of December 31, 2011, management does not believe any qualitative factors exist that would change the conclusion of their assessment. In future years, management will determine whether a quantitative or qualitative analysis is more appropriate.