NOTE 3.  Acquisitions and Divestitures

 

Acquisitions:

 

3M makes acquisitions of certain businesses from time to time that are aligned with its strategic intent with respect to, among other factors, growth markets and adjacent product lines or technologies. Goodwill resulting from business combinations is largely attributable to the existing workforce of the acquired businesses and synergies expected to arise after 3M’s acquisition of these businesses.

 

In addition to business combinations, 3M periodically acquires certain tangible and/or intangible assets and purchases interests in certain enterprises that do not otherwise qualify for accounting as business combinations. These transactions are largely reflected as additional asset purchase and investment activity.

 

There were no acquisitions that closed during 2018.

 

In February 2019, 3M completed the acquisition of the technology business of M*Modal for cash of approximately $0.7 billion, subject to closing and other adjustments, and assumption of approximately $0.3 billion of M*Modal’s debt. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, M*Modal is a leading healthcare technology provider of cloud-based, conversational artificial intelligence-powered systems that help physicians efficiently capture and improve the patient narrative. The transaction will be reflected within the Company’s Health Care business.

 

2017 acquisitions:

 

In September 2017, 3M purchased all of the ownership interests of Elution Technologies, LLC, a Vermont-based manufacturer of test kits that help enable food and beverage companies ensure their products are free from certain potentially harmful allergens such as peanuts, soy or milk. Elution is reported within the Company’s Health Care business.

 

In October 2017, 3M completed the acquisition of the underlying legal entities and associated assets of Scott Safety, which is headquartered in Monroe, North Carolina, from Johnson Controls for $2.0 billion of cash, net of cash acquired. Scott Safety is a premier manufacturer of innovative products, including self-contained breathing apparatus systems, gas and flame detection instruments, and other safety devices that complement 3M’s personal safety portfolio. The business had revenues of approximately $570 million in 2016. Scott Safety is reported within 3M’s Safety and Graphics business. Adjustments in 2018 to the purchase price allocation were approximately $7 million and related to identification of certain immaterial acquired assets, tax-related and contingent liabilities, and resolution of certain acquired working capital and other purchase price adjustments with the seller. The change to provisional amounts did not result in material impacts to results of operations in 2018 or any portion related to earlier quarters in the measurement period. The allocation of purchase consideration related to Scott Safety was completed in the third quarter of 2018. 

 

Pro forma information related to acquisitions has not been included because the impact on the Company’s consolidated results of operations was not considered material. The following table shows the impact on the consolidated balance sheet of the purchase price allocations related to 2017 acquisitions and assigned finite-lived intangible asset weighted-average lives.

 

 

Purchased identifiable finite-lived intangible assets related to acquisition activity in 2017 totaled $855 million. The associated finite-lived intangible assets acquired in 2017 are amortized on a systematic and rational basis (generally straight line) over a weighted-average life of 15 years (lives ranging from four to 17 years). Acquired in-process research and development and identifiable intangible assets for which significant assumed renewals or extensions of underlying arrangements impacted the determination of their useful lives were not material.

 

2016 acquisitions:

 

In September 2016, 3M acquired all of the outstanding shares of Semfinder, headquartered in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland. Semfinder is a leading developer of precision software that enables efficient coding of medical procedures in multiple languages. The purchase price paid for these business combinations (net of cash acquired) during 2016 aggregated to $16 million. Semfinder is reported within 3M’s Health Care business.

 

Adjustments in 2016 to the preliminary purchase price allocations of other acquisitions within the allocation period primarily related to the identification of contingent liabilities and certain tax-related items aggregating to approximately $35 million along with other balances related to the 2015 acquisition of Capital Safety Group S.A.R.L. The change to provisional amounts resulted in an immaterial impact to the results of operations in the third quarter of 2016, a portion of which related to earlier quarters in the measurement period.

 

Purchased identifiable finite-lived intangible assets related to acquisition activity in 2016 totaled $4 million. The associated finite-lived intangible assets acquired in 2016 will be amortized on a systematic and rational basis (generally straight line) over a weighted-average life of 8 years (lives ranging from two to 20 years). Acquired in-process research and development and identifiable intangible assets for which significant assumed renewals or extensions of underlying arrangements impacted the determination of their useful lives were not material.

 

Divestitures:

 

3M may divest certain businesses from time to time based upon review of the Company’s portfolio considering, among other items, factors relative to the extent of strategic and technological alignment and optimization of capital deployment, in addition to considering if selling the businesses results in the greatest value creation for the Company and for shareholders.

 

2018 divestitures:

In February 2018, 3M closed on the sale of certain personal safety product offerings primarily focused on noise, environmental, and heat stress monitoring to TSI, Inc. This business has annual sales of approximately $15 million. The transaction resulted in a pre-tax gain of less than $20 million that was reported within the Company’s Safety and Graphics business. In addition, during the first quarter of 2018, 3M divested a polymer additives compounding business, formerly part of the Company’s Industrial business, and reflected a gain on final closing adjustments from a prior divestiture which, in aggregate, were not material. In May 2018, 3M divested an abrasives glass products business, formerly part of the Company’s Industrial business, with annual sales of approximately $10 million. The transaction resulted in a pre-tax gain of less than $15 million. The Company also reflected an immaterial gain in the fourth quarter from an earnout on a previous divestiture.

In June 2018, 3M completed the sale of substantially all of its Communication Markets Division to Corning Incorporated. This business, with annual sales of approximately $400 million, consists of optical fiber and copper passive connectivity solutions for the telecommunications industry including 3M’s xDSL, FTTx, and structured cabling solutions and, in certain countries, telecommunications system integration services. 3M received cash proceeds of $772 million and reflected a pre-tax gain of $494 million as a result of this divestiture. In December 2018, the Company completed the sale of the remaining telecommunications system integration services portion of the business based in Germany, resulting in a pre-tax gain of $15 million. Both the June 2018 and December 2018 divestiture impacts were reported within the Company’s Electronics and Energy business.

 

2017 divestitures:

In January 2017, 3M sold the assets of its safety prescription eyewear business, with annual sales of approximately $45 million, to HOYA Vision Care. The Company recorded a pre-tax gain of $29 million in the first quarter of 2017 as a result of this sale, which was reported within the Company’s Safety and Graphics business.

 

In May 2017, 3M completed the related sale or transfer of control, as applicable, of its identity management business to Gemalto N.V. This business, with 2016 sales of approximately $205 million, is a leading provider in identity management solutions, including biometric hardware and software that enable identity verification and authentication, as well as secure materials and document readers. In June 2017, 3M also completed the sale of its tolling and automated license/number plate recognition business, with annual sales of approximately $40 million, to Neology, Inc. 3M’s tolling and automated license/number plate recognition business includes RFID readers and tags, automatic vehicle classification systems, lane controller and host software, and back office software and services. It also provides mobile and fixed cameras, software, and services in automated license/number plate recognition. 3M received proceeds of $833 million, or $809 million net of cash sold, and reflected a pre-tax gain of $458 million as a result of these two divestitures, which was reported within the Company’s Safety and Graphics business.

 

In October 2017, 3M sold its electronic monitoring business to an affiliate of Apax Partners. This business, with annual sales of approximately $95 million, is a provider of electronic monitoring technologies, serving hundreds of correctional and law enforcement agencies around the world. 3M received proceeds of $201 million, net of cash sold, and reflected a pre-tax gain of $98 million in the fourth quarter of 2017 as a result of this divestiture, which was reported within the Company’s Safety and Graphics business.

 

In the fourth quarter of 2017, 3M sold the assets of an electrical marking/labeling business within its Electronics and Energy business. The former activity, proceeds and gain were not considered material.

 

2016 divestitures:

In the first quarter of 2016, 3M completed the sale of the remainder of the assets of 3M’s library systems business to One Equity Partners Capital Advisors L.P. (OEP). 3M had previously sold the North American business and the majority of the business outside of North America to OEP in the fourth quarter of 2015 which was reported within 3M’s Safety and Graphics business. Also in the first quarter of 2016, 3M sold to Innovative Chemical Products Group, a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity, the assets of 3M’s pressurized polyurethane foam adhesives business (formerly known as Polyfoam). This business is a provider of pressurized polyurethane foam adhesive formulations and systems into the residential roofing, commercial roofing and insulation and industrial foam segments in the United States with annual sales of approximately $20 million and was reported within 3M’s Industrial business. The Company recorded a pre-tax gain of $40 million in the first quarter of 2016 as a result of the sales of these businesses.

 

In October 2016, 3M sold the assets of its temporary protective films business to Pregis LLC. This business, with annual sales of approximately $50 million, is a provider of adhesive-backed temporary protective films used in a broad range of industries and was reported within 3M’s Industrial business. In December 2016, 3M sold the assets of its cathode battery technology out-licensing business, with annual sales of approximately $10 million, to UMICORE. This business was reported within 3M’s Electronics and Energy business. The aggregate selling price relative to these two businesses was $86 million. The Company recorded a pre-tax gain of $71 million in the fourth quarter of 2016 as a result of the sales of these businesses.

 

Operating income and held for sale amounts

The aggregate operating income of these businesses was approximately $25 million, $40 million, and $50 million in 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. The approximate amounts of major assets and liabilities associated with disposal groups classified as held-for-sale as of December 31, 2018 were not material. The amounts as of December 31, 2017, included the following:

 

 

In addition, approximately $275 million of goodwill was estimated to be attributable to disposal groups classified as held-for-sale as of December 31, 2017, based upon relative fair value. The amounts above have not been segregated and are classified within the existing corresponding line items on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet.