Purchased Goodwill and types of Synergies in Businesses Combinations. Microsoft-LinkedIn Transaction

Abstract

According to International and national accounting bodies such as the IASC or the FASB, purchased goodwill is considered, in the present, an intangible asset that appears as a result of the acquisition of one company by another, for a price premium. It is the amount that makes the balance between the purchase price of the target company and the value of all identifiable acquired assets (tangible and intangible) and liabilities.

From an economic point of view, this price premium that is paid in businesses combinations must be justified by the estimated future additional net profits and free cash-flows that can be obtained by the acquiring company as result of investing in the target company.

One of the most important sources of these additional earnings are the estimated synergies between the companies implied in combination. These can explain the significant price premiums paid in most acquisitions made by strategic investors. This paper focuses on the Microsoft-LinkedIn transaction, trying to identify the price paid in this acquisition, the size of the purchased goodwill and, the value and types of synergies that have been estimated for this combination of companies.