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Analysis of Property, Plant and Equipment
Difficulty: Advanced
Property, Plant and Equipment Accounting Policy
Depreciation and Amortization
Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost and depreciated over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. The estimated useful lives of certain depreciable assets are as follows: buildings, 30 to 50 years; building equipment, 10 to 20 years; land improvements, 20 years; production, engineering, office and other equipment, 2 to 20 years; and information technology equipment, 1.5 to 5 years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the related lease term, rarely exceeding 25 years.
Capitalized software costs incurred or acquired after technological feasibility has been established are amortized over periods ranging up to 3 years. Capitalized costs for internal-use software are amortized on a straight-line basis over periods ranging up to 3 years. Other intangible assets are amortized over periods between 1 and 7 years.
Source: 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-27).
Property, Plant and Equipment Disclosure
International Business Machines Corp., Statement of Financial Position, Property, Plant and Equipment
USD $ in millions
| Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | Dec 31, 2013 | |||||||
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| Land and land improvements | |
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| Production, engineering, office and other equipment | |
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| Buildings and building improvements | |
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| Plant, laboratory and office equipment | |
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| Rental machines | |
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| Property, plant and equipment, gross | |
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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: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-24), 10-K (filing date: 2014-02-25).
| Item | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Property, plant and equipment, gross | 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. | International Business Machines Corp.’s property, plant and equipment, gross increased from 2015 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2017. |
| 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. | International Business Machines Corp.’s property, plant and equipment, net increased from 2015 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2017. |
Property, Plant and Equipment Ratios (Summary)
International Business Machines Corp., Property, Plant and Equipment Ratios
| Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | Dec 31, 2013 | ||
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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: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-24), 10-K (filing date: 2014-02-25).
| 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. | International Business Machines Corp.’s average age of depreciable property, plant and equipment deteriorated from 2015 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2017. |
| 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. | International Business Machines Corp.’s estimated total useful life of depreciable property, plant and equipment declined from 2015 to 2016 but then slightly increased from 2016 to 2017. |
| Estimated time elapsed since purchase | The approximate age in years of a company’s fixed assets. Useful for comparison purposes. | International Business Machines Corp.’s estimated time elapsed since purchase of depreciable property, plant and equipment improved from 2015 to 2016 but then deteriorated significantly from 2016 to 2017. |
| Estimated remaining life | International Business Machines Corp.’s estimated remaining life of depreciable property, plant and equipment declined from 2015 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2017. |
Average Age
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-24), 10-K (filing date: 2014-02-25).
2017 Calculations
1 Average age = 100 × Accumulated depreciation ÷ (Property, plant and equipment, gross – Land and land improvements)
= 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. | International Business Machines Corp.’s average age of depreciable property, plant and equipment deteriorated from 2015 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2017. |
Estimated Total Useful Life
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-24), 10-K (filing date: 2014-02-25).
2017 Calculations
1 Estimated total useful life (years) = (Property, plant and equipment, gross – Land and land improvements) ÷ 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. | International Business Machines Corp.’s estimated total useful life of depreciable property, plant and equipment declined from 2015 to 2016 but then slightly increased from 2016 to 2017. |
Estimated Age, Time Elapsed since Purchase
| Dec 31, 2017 | Dec 31, 2016 | Dec 31, 2015 | Dec 31, 2014 | Dec 31, 2013 | ||
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| Selected Financial Data (USD $ in millions) | ||||||
| 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: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-24), 10-K (filing date: 2014-02-25).
2017 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. | International Business Machines Corp.’s estimated time elapsed since purchase of depreciable property, plant and equipment improved from 2015 to 2016 but then deteriorated significantly from 2016 to 2017. |
Estimated Remaining Life
Based on: 10-K (filing date: 2018-02-27), 10-K (filing date: 2017-02-28), 10-K (filing date: 2016-02-23), 10-K (filing date: 2015-02-24), 10-K (filing date: 2014-02-25).
2017 Calculations
1 Estimated remaining life (years) = (Property, plant and equipment, net – Land and land improvements) ÷ Depreciation expense
= ( – ) ÷ =
| Ratio | Description | The company |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated remaining life | International Business Machines Corp.’s estimated remaining life of depreciable property, plant and equipment declined from 2015 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2017. |