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Biogen Inc. (BIIB)
Analysis of Property, Plant and Equipment
Difficulty: Advanced
Property, Plant and Equipment Accounting Policy
Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost, subject to review for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. The cost of normal, recurring, or periodic repairs and maintenance activities related to property, plant and equipment are expensed as incurred. The cost for planned major maintenance activities, including the related acquisition or construction of assets, is capitalized if the repair will result in future economic benefits.
Interest costs incurred during the construction of major capital projects are capitalized until the underlying asset is ready for its intended use, at which point the interest costs are amortized as depreciation expense over the life of the underlying asset. Biogen also capitalizes certain direct and incremental costs associated with the validation effort required for licensing by regulatory agencies of new manufacturing equipment for the production of a commercially approved drug. These costs primarily include direct labor and material and are incurred in preparing the equipment for its intended use. The validation costs are either amortized over the life of the related equipment or expensed as cost of sales when the product produced in the validation process is sold.
In addition, Biogen capitalizes certain internal use computer software development costs. If the software is an integral part of production assets, these costs are included in machinery and equipment and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the related software, which generally range from three to five years.
Biogen generally depreciates or amortizes the cost of the property, plant and equipment using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets, which are summarized as follows:
| Asset Category | Useful Lives |
| Land | Not depreciated |
| Buildings | 15 to 40 years |
| Leasehold Improvements | Lesser of the useful life or the term of the respective lease |
| Furniture and Fixtures | 5 to 7 years |
| Machinery and Equipment | 5 to 20 years |
| Computer Software and Hardware | 3 to 5 years |
When Biogen disposes of property, plant and equipment, Biogen removes the associated cost and accumulated depreciation from the related accounts in the consolidated balance sheets and includes any resulting gain or loss in the consolidated statements of income.
Source: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-06).
Property, Plant and Equipment Disclosure
Biogen Inc., balance sheet: property, plant and equipment
US$ in thousands
| Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | |||||||
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| Computer software and hardware | |
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| Construction in progress | |
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| Property, plant and equipment, cost | |
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| Accumulated depreciation | |
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| Property, plant and equipment, net | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-06), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-01), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-02), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-04).
| Item | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Property, plant and equipment, cost | Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. | Biogen Inc.’s property, plant and equipment, cost increased from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
| Property, plant and equipment, net | Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. | Biogen Inc.’s property, plant and equipment, net increased from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
Property, Plant and Equipment Ratios (Summary)
Biogen Inc., Property, Plant and Equipment Ratios
| Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | ||
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| Estimated total useful life (years) | |
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| Estimated age, time elapsed since purchase (years) | |
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| Estimated remaining life (years) | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-06), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-01), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-02), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-04).
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Average age | As long as straight-line depreciation is used, this is an accurate estimate of asset age as a percentage of depreciable life. The relative age is a useful measure of whether the company’s fixed asset base is old or new. Newer assets are likely to be more efficient. | Biogen Inc.’s average age of depreciable property, plant and equipment improved from 2016 to 2017 but then slightly deteriorated from 2017 to 2018. |
| Estimated total useful life | Over longer time periods, this ratio is a useful measure of company’s depreciation policy and can be used for comparisons with competitors. | Biogen Inc.’s estimated total useful life of depreciable property, plant and equipment increased from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
| Estimated time elapsed since purchase | The approximate age in years of a company’s fixed assets. Useful for comparison purposes. | Biogen Inc.’s estimated time elapsed since purchase of depreciable property, plant and equipment deteriorated from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
| Estimated remaining life | Biogen Inc.’s estimated remaining life of depreciable property, plant and equipment increased from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
Average Age
| Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (US$ in thousands) | ||||||
| Accumulated depreciation | |
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| Property, plant and equipment, cost | |
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| Average age1 | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-06), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-01), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-02), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-04).
2018 Calculations
1 Average age = 100 × Accumulated depreciation ÷ (Property, plant and equipment, cost – Land)
= 100 × ÷ ( – ) =
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Average age | As long as straight-line depreciation is used, this is an accurate estimate of asset age as a percentage of depreciable life. The relative age is a useful measure of whether the company’s fixed asset base is old or new. Newer assets are likely to be more efficient. | Biogen Inc.’s average age of depreciable property, plant and equipment improved from 2016 to 2017 but then slightly deteriorated from 2017 to 2018. |
Estimated Total Useful Life
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-06), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-01), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-02), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-04).
2018 Calculations
1 Estimated total useful life (years) = (Property, plant and equipment, cost – Land) ÷ Depreciation expense
= ( – ) ÷ =
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated total useful life | Over longer time periods, this ratio is a useful measure of company’s depreciation policy and can be used for comparisons with competitors. | Biogen Inc.’s estimated total useful life of depreciable property, plant and equipment increased from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
Estimated Age, Time Elapsed since Purchase
| Dec 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (US$ in thousands) | ||||||
| Accumulated depreciation | |
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| Depreciation expense | |
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| Time elapsed since purchase (years)1 | |
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Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-06), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-01), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-02), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-04).
2018 Calculations
1 Time elapsed since purchase (years) = Accumulated depreciation ÷ Depreciation expense
= ÷ =
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated time elapsed since purchase | The approximate age in years of a company’s fixed assets. Useful for comparison purposes. | Biogen Inc.’s estimated time elapsed since purchase of depreciable property, plant and equipment deteriorated from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |
Estimated Remaining Life
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2019-02-06), 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-01), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-02), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-03), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-04).
2018 Calculations
1 Estimated remaining life (years) = (Property, plant and equipment, net – Land) ÷ Depreciation expense
= ( – ) ÷ =
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated remaining life | Biogen Inc.’s estimated remaining life of depreciable property, plant and equipment increased from 2016 to 2017 and from 2017 to 2018. |