Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Property and Equipment

v3.6.0.2
Property and Equipment
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]  
Property and Equipment
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment, including satellites, are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Equipment under capital leases is stated at the present value of minimum lease payments. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful life of the asset:
Satellite system
15 years
Terrestrial repeater network
5 - 15 years
Broadcast studio equipment
3 - 15 years
Capitalized software and hardware
3 - 7 years
Satellite telemetry, tracking and control facilities
3 - 15 years
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other
2 - 7 years
Building
20 or 30 years
Leasehold improvements
Lesser of useful life or remaining lease term

We review long-lived assets, such as property and equipment, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds the estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized in an amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value of the asset. We did not record any impairments during the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014.
Property and equipment, net, consists of the following:
 
December 31, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
Satellite system
$
1,586,794

 
$
2,388,000

Terrestrial repeater network
127,854

 
117,127

Leasehold improvements
53,898

 
49,407

Broadcast studio equipment
84,697

 
70,888

Capitalized software and hardware
558,101

 
466,464

Satellite telemetry, tracking and control facilities
77,290

 
75,440

Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other
90,214

 
81,871

Land
38,411

 
38,411

Building
61,597

 
60,487

Construction in progress
144,954

 
101,324

Total property and equipment
2,823,810

 
3,449,419

Accumulated depreciation and amortization
(1,425,117
)
 
(2,034,018
)
Property and equipment, net
$
1,398,693

 
$
1,415,401


Construction in progress consists of the following:
 
December 31, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
Satellite system
$
43,977

 
$
12,912

Terrestrial repeater network
1,139

 
25,578

Capitalized software
82,204

 
37,064

Other
17,634

 
25,770

Construction in progress
$
144,954

 
$
101,324


Depreciation expense on property and equipment was $220,434, $220,514 and $211,407 for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.  We retired property and equipment of $843,129, $43,833 and $19,398 during the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, which included approximately $801,206 related to satellites during 2016. We recognized a loss on disposal of assets of $12,912 and $7,384, which has been recorded in Satellite and transmission expense in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income, during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, which related to the disposal of certain obsolete spare parts for a future satellite and obsolete terrestrial repeaters and related parts, respectively. We did not recognize any loss on disposal of assets during the year ended December 31, 2014.
We capitalize a portion of the interest on funds borrowed to finance the construction and launch of our satellites and launch vehicles. Capitalized interest is recorded as part of the asset’s cost and depreciated over the satellite’s useful life. Capitalized interest costs for the year ended December 31, 2016 was $419, which related to the construction of our SXM-7 and SXM-8 satellites. We did not capitalize any interest costs for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.
Satellites
As of December 31, 2016, we owned a fleet of five satellites.  The chart below provides certain information on our satellites as of December 31, 2016:
Satellite Description
 
Year Delivered
 
Estimated End of
Depreciable Life
SIRIUS FM-5
 
2009
 
2024
SIRIUS FM-6
 
2013
 
2028
XM-3
 
2005
 
2020
XM-4
 
2006
 
2021
XM-5
 
2010
 
2025