Balance Sheet: Assets
Quarterly Data
The balance sheet provides creditors, investors, and analysts with information on company resources (assets) and its sources of capital (its equity and liabilities). It normally also provides information about the future earnings capacity of a company assets as well as an indication of cash flows that may come from receivables and inventories.
Assets are resources controlled by the company as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the entity.
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2016-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2016-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2016-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2015-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2015-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2015-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2015-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2014-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2014-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2014-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2014-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2013-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2013-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2013-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2013-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2012-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2012-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2012-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2012-03-31).
- Cash and cash equivalents
- The cash and cash equivalents balance exhibited significant volatility, ranging from a low of approximately $842 million in September 2013 to a peak of over $10 billion in September 2014. After this peak, the balance generally stabilized within the $1.1 to $1.6 billion range through to March 2017, indicating fluctuating liquidity but a return to more moderate levels in recent periods.
- Short-term marketable securities
- Short-term marketable securities fluctuated notably, with values rising from $370 million in June 2012 up to $5.7 billion in December 2016. Despite occasional declines, the overall trajectory through the period was an upward trend, suggesting an increasing allocation of liquid assets in short-term investments.
- Accounts receivable, net
- Net accounts receivable showed relative stability with minor fluctuations, mostly ranging between approximately $840 million and $1.08 billion. No clear trend of growth or decline is evident, indicating consistent receivables management and steady sales or billing cycles.
- Prepaid expenses and other current assets
- This category experienced a noticeable peak around mid-2013 at approximately $890 million, followed by a general downward trend through to March 2017, ending near $176 million. This decline may reflect reduced prepaid costs or a shift in asset composition.
- Current assets
- Current assets showed wide fluctuations, with a significant peak at nearly $12.6 billion in September 2014. The trend was otherwise variable, but the figure consistently remained in the low to mid single-digit billions in US dollars, suggesting fluctuating short-term asset holdings but no consistent growth pattern over the full period.
- Long-term marketable securities
- Long-term marketable securities demonstrated an initial increase from approximately $440 million in early 2012 to a high of $2.38 billion in March 2013, then declined and ranged between $940 million and $1.6 billion in subsequent periods. This indicates a shift from long-term marketable securities into other forms of assets or investments after early 2013.
- Alibaba Group Preference Shares
- Preference shares in Alibaba Group were recorded only in late 2012 to early 2013 periods, with values around $800 million, after which this asset line disappeared from the records, implying either divestment or reclassification.
- Property and equipment, net
- Net property and equipment showed a gradual declining trend, decreasing from approximately $1.73 billion in March 2012 to $1.18 billion by March 2017, indicating ongoing depreciation or reduced capital expenditures.
- Goodwill
- Goodwill generally remained stable around $3.8 to $5.1 billion through 2015, with a notable sharp decrease to approximately $430 million in 2016 and early 2017, suggesting a significant impairment or disposal of goodwill assets during this later period.
- Intangible assets, net
- Net intangible assets declined steadily from about $226 million in early 2012 to $142 million by March 2017, reflecting amortization or asset disposals over time.
- Other long-term assets and investments
- This category displayed some volatility with a peak near $550 million in late 2014, followed by declines to about $176 million by early 2017, overall suggesting reduction or reallocation of other long-term assets.
- Investment in Alibaba Group
- Investments in Alibaba Group appeared in the data starting late 2013 and grew substantially to a peak above $40 billion in December 2016. The figure remained high but showed some volatility through early 2017, highlighting a critical and growing stake in Alibaba as a major asset component.
- Investments in equity interests
- Investments in equity interests declined significantly from nearly $5 billion in early 2012 to about $2.3 billion by late 2014, followed by a moderate recovery reaching around $3.2 billion in December 2016 before declining slightly in early 2017, indicating shifting investment strategies or disposals.
- Noncurrent assets
- Noncurrent assets increased significantly from roughly $11.5 billion in 2012 to over $52 billion by late 2014, coinciding with the inclusion of large Alibaba investments. Following this peak, values fluctuated between $33 billion and $47 billion, reflecting ongoing investment management and asset revaluation.
- Total assets
- Total assets showed a marked increase from $14.9 billion in early 2012 to a peak of nearly $62 billion in late 2014, largely driven by substantial investment asset appreciation. Subsequently, total assets decreased to about $41 billion by early 2016 before rising again towards $55 billion by early 2017, indicating asset base volatility primarily influenced by investment valuations.