The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. 2009 Annual Report

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
(continued)

GOODWILL, INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND OTHER LONG-LIVED ASSETS
Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the cost of purchased businesses over the fair value of their underlying net assets. Other indefinite-lived intangible assets principally consist of trademarks. Goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized.

We assess goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangibles at least annually for impairment as of the beginning of the fiscal fourth quarter, or more frequently if certain events or circumstances warrant. We test goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level, which is one level below our operating segments. We identify our reporting units by assessing whether the components of our operating segments constitute businesses for which discrete financial information is available and management of each reporting unit regularly reviews the operating results of those components. Impairment testing is performed in two steps: (i) we determine impairment by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying value, and (ii) if there is an impairment, we measure the amount of impairment loss by comparing the implied fair value of goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. The impairment test for indefinite-lived intangible assets encompasses calculating a fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset and comparing the fair value to its carrying value. If the carrying value exceeds the fair value, impairment is recorded.

Testing goodwill for impairment requires us to estimate fair values of reporting units using significant estimates and assumptions. The assumptions made will impact the outcome and ultimate results of the testing. We use industry accepted valuation models and set criteria that are reviewed and approved by various levels of management and, in certain instances, we engage third-party valuation specialists to advise us. To determine fair value of the reporting unit, we generally use an equal weighting of the income and market approaches. In certain circumstances, equal weighting will not be applied if one of these methods may be less reliable (e.g., only the income approach would be used for reporting units with existing negative margins). We believe both approaches are equally relevant and the most reliable indications of fair value because the fair value of product or service companies is more dependent on the ability to generate earnings than on the value of the assets used in the production process.

Under the income approach, we determine fair value using a discounted cash flow method, estimating future cash flows of each reporting unit, as well as terminal value, and discounting such cash flows at a rate of return that reflects the relative risk of the cash flows.

Under the market approach, we utilize information from comparable publicly traded companies with similar operating and investment characteristics as the reporting units, which creates valuation multiples that are applied to the operating performance of the reporting unit being tested, to value the reporting unit.

The key estimates and factors used in these two approaches include, but are not limited to, revenue growth rates and profit margins based on internal forecasts, terminal value, the weighted-average cost of capital used to discount future cash flows and comparable market multiples. The fiscal 2009 compound annual growth rate of sales for the first eight years of our projections ranged between 6% and 19% with the higher growth rates in those reporting units that start with the smallest base in fiscal 2009. The fiscal 2008 compound annual growth rate of sales for the first five years of our projections ranged between 10% and 21% with the higher growth rates in those reporting units that start with the smallest base in fiscal 2008. For reporting units with positive earnings, growth in the corresponding earnings before interest and taxes ranged from 6% to 46% in fiscal 2009 as compared with 10% to 31% in fiscal 2008. The terminal growth rates were projected at 3% after eight years in fiscal 2009 as compared with 3% after five years in fiscal 2008, which reflects our estimate of long term market and gross domestic product growth. The weighted-average cost of capital used to discount future cash flows ranged from 11% to 17% in fiscal 2009 as compared with 10% to 15% in fiscal 2008. The range of market multiples used in our fiscal 2009 impairment testing was from 2 to 3 times trailing-twelve-month sales and 10 times trailing-twelve-month earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation and amortization. The range of market multiples used in our fiscal 2008 impairment testing was from 2 to 3 times trailing-twelve-month sales and 11 to 14 times trailing-twelve-month earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation and amortization. Future changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the results of our reviews for impairment of goodwill. However, a decrease of 30 basis points in our terminal growth rate or an increase of 30 basis points in our weighted-average cost of capital would still result in a fair value calculation exceeding our book value for each of our reporting units. Changes in the valuation assumptions from those used in the prior year primarily reflect the impact of the current economic environment on the reporting units and their projected future results of operations.

To determine fair value of other indefinite-lived intangible assets, we use an income approach, the relief-from-royalty method. This method assumes that, in lieu of ownership, a third party would be willing to pay a royalty in order to obtain the rights to use the comparable asset. Other indefinite-lived intangible assets' fair values require significant judgments in determining both the assets' estimated cash flows as well as the appropriate discount and royalty rates applied to those cash flows to determine fair value. Changes in such estimates or the application of alternative assumptions could produce significantly different results.

We review other long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. When such events or changes in circumstances occur, a recoverability test is performed comparing projected undiscounted cash flows from the use and eventual disposition of an asset or asset group to its carrying value. If the projected undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying value, an impairment would be recorded for the excess of the carrying value over the fair value, which is determined by discounting future cash flows.

As the duration and magnitude of the volatility of the current economic conditions remain uncertain, we will continue to monitor and evaluate the potential impact on our business and on our interim and annual impairment testing. Accordingly, it is possible that we would recognize an impairment charge in the future with respect to goodwill, intangible assets and other long-lived assets.