 |
|
 |
Note 5: GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS
The Company has adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 142 Goodwill
and Other Intangible Assets as of January 1, 2002. This statement
established new standards for accounting for goodwill and intangible
assets acquired outside of, and subsequent to, a business combination.
Under the new standards, goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite
useful lives are no longer being amortized, but are tested for impairment
annually or when an event occurs or circumstances change that signify
the existence of impairment. In June 2002, we tested for the impairment
of goodwill, all of which is attributable to our equity markets business
segment, and concluded that there was no impairment of goodwill. As
part of our test for impairment, we considered the profitability of
the respective segment or reporting unit, an assessment of the fair
value of the respective segment or reporting unit as well as the overall
market value of the Company compared to its net book value. Goodwill
is net of accumulated amortization of $22,486,397 through December
31, 2001. The following table sets forth reported net earnings and
EPS adjusted to exclude goodwill amortization expense recorded in
2001 and 2000: |
| |
 |
| |
At December 31, 2002, the Company had intangible assets, all of
which are attributable to our equity markets business segment, with
a gross carrying amount of $40.2 million and accumulated amortization
of $5.4 million, which primarily resulted from the purchase of various
options related specialists posts. Intangible assets deemed to have
definite lives are being amortized over their useful lives, which
have been determined to be 15 years. The Company evaluates the remaining
useful life of its intangible assets at least annually. In 2002, the
Company recorded amortization expense relating to these intangible
assets of $2.5 million. The estimated amortization expense relating
to the intangible assets for each of the five succeeding years approximates
$2.7 million. |
| |
|
|