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FORM 10-K - Harman

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assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.<br />

Our accounting policies are more fully described in Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, in the<br />

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements located in Item 8 of Part II. However, we believe the following<br />

policies merit discussion due to their higher degree of judgment, estimation, or complexity.<br />

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts<br />

Our products are sold to customers in many different markets and geographic locations. Methodologies for<br />

estimating bad debt reserves include specific reserves for known collectability issues and percentages applied to<br />

aged receivables based on historical experience. We must make judgments and estimates regarding account<br />

receivables that may become uncollectible. These estimates affect our bad debt reserve and results of operations.<br />

We base these estimates on many factors including historical collection rates, the financial stability and size of<br />

our customers as well as the markets they serve and our analysis of aged accounts receivable. Our judgments and<br />

estimates regarding collectability of accounts receivable have an impact on our financial statements.<br />

Inventory Valuation<br />

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost is determined principally by the first-in, first-out<br />

method. The valuation of inventory requires us to make judgments and estimates regarding obsolete, damaged or<br />

excess inventory, as well as current and future demand for our products. Estimation of inventory valuation<br />

reserves requires us to analyze the aging and future demand for inventories and to forecast future product pricing<br />

trends which has an effect on our results of operations. We calculate inventory reserves using a combination of<br />

lower of cost or market analysis, analysis of historical usage data, forecast demand data and historical disposal<br />

rates. Specific product valuation analysis is applied, if practicable, to those items of inventory representing a<br />

higher portion of the value of inventory on-hand. Refer to Note 2 – Inventories, net in the Notes to the<br />

Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.<br />

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets<br />

Goodwill is tested for impairment annually or more frequently if an event or circumstance indicates that an<br />

impairment loss may have been incurred. Application of the goodwill impairment test requires judgment,<br />

including the identification of reporting units, assignment of assets and liabilities to reporting units, assignment<br />

of goodwill to reporting units, and determination of the fair value of each reporting unit. We estimate the fair<br />

value of each reporting unit using a discounted cash flow methodology. This requires us to use significant<br />

judgment including estimation of future cash flows, which is dependent on internal forecasts, estimation of the<br />

long-term rate of growth for our business, the useful life over which cash flows will occur, determination of our<br />

weighted average cost of capital, and relevant market data.<br />

During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009, we determined that goodwill related to our Automotive,<br />

Consumer and QNX reporting units was impaired and we recognized an impairment charge of $330.6 million.<br />

Goodwill was $81.9 million at June 30, 2009 compared with $436.4 million at June 30, 2008. Refer to Note 5 –<br />

Goodwill in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.<br />

Intangible assets primarily consist of patents, trademarks and distribution agreements and are amortized<br />

over periods ranging from <strong>10</strong> months to 17 years. We apply an impairment evaluation whenever events or<br />

changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying value of our intangible assets may not be<br />

recoverable. Other intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated economic lives.<br />

We believe that the straight-line method of amortization reflects an appropriate allocation of the cost of the<br />

intangible assets to earnings in proportion to the amount of economic benefits obtained annually by our<br />

Company.<br />

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