3.6 Business combinations

Business combinations

The Group accounts for business combinations using the acquisition method when the acquired set of activities and assets meets the definition of a business and control is transferred to the Group.

In determining whether a particular set of activities and assets is a business, the Group assesses whether the set of assets and activities acquired includes, at a minimum, an input and substantive process and whether the acquired set has the ability to produce outputs. The Group has an option to apply a ‘concentration test’ that permits a simplified assessment of whether an acquired set of activities and assets is not a business. The optional concentration test is met if substantially all the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets.

The cost of an acquisition is measured as the aggregate of the consideration transferred measured at acquisition date fair value and the amount of any non-controlling interests in the acquiree. The consideration transferred does not include amounts related to the settlement of pre-existing relationships. Such amounts are generally recognised in profit or loss. Acquisition-related costs are expensed as incurred and included in general, administration and other operating expenses, except if related to the issue of debt or equity securities.

When the Group acquires a business, it assesses the financial assets and liabilities assumed for appropriate classification and designation in accordance with the contractual terms, economic circumstances and pertinent conditions as at the acquisition date. This includes the separation of embedded derivatives in host contracts by the acquiree.

• If the business combination is achieved in stages, any previously held equity interest is re-measured at its acquisition date fair value and any resulting gain or loss is recognised in profit or loss. It is then considered in the determination of goodwill. Any contingent consideration is measured at fair value at the date of acquisition. If an obligation to pay contingent consideration that meets the definition of a financial instrument is classified as equity, then it is not remeasured and settlement is accounted for within equity. Otherwise, other contingent consideration is remeasured at fair value at each reporting date and subsequent changes in the fair value of the contingent consideration are recognised in profit or loss.

Goodwill is initially measured at cost, being the excess of the aggregate of the consideration transferred and the amount recognised for non-controlling interests, and any previous interest held, over the net identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed. If the fair value of the net assets acquired is in excess of the aggregate consideration transferred or in an excess of the fair value of net assets acquired over the aggregate consideration transferred, then the gain is recognised in profit or loss. After initial recognition, goodwill is measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. For the purpose of impairment testing, goodwill acquired in a business combination is, from the acquisition date, allocated to each of the Group’s cash-generating units (“CGU”) that are expected to benefit from the combination, irrespective of whether other assets or liabilities of the acquiree are assigned to those units.

• Where goodwill has been allocated to a cash-generating unit and part of the operation within that unit is disposed of, the goodwill associated with the disposed operation is included in the carrying amount of the operation when determining the gain or loss on disposal. Goodwill disposed in these circumstances is measured based on the relative values of the disposed operation and the portion of the cash-generating unit retained.