Arena Group Holdings, Inc. Goodwill & Intangibles Disclosure
12. Goodwill
The changes in carrying value of goodwill are as follows:
| As of December 31, | ||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Carrying value at beginning of year | $ | 19,619 | $ | 16,140 | ||||
| Goodwill acquired in acquisition of The Spun | 3,479 | |||||||
| Goodwill acquired in acquisition of Parade | 2,587 | |||||||
| Goodwill acquired in acquisition of Men’s Journal | 17,138 | |||||||
| Carrying value at end of year | $ | 39,344 | $ | 19,619 | ||||
The Company performs its annual impairment test at the reporting unit level, which is the operating segment or one level below the operating segment. Management determined that the Company would be aggregated into a single reporting unit for purposes of performing the impairment test for goodwill.
The Company, as part of its annual impairment evaluation of goodwill of its one reporting unit, performs the goodwill impairment test in accordance with applicable guidance. The guidance provides an entity with the option to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If an entity determines that this is the case, it is required to perform the goodwill impairment test to identify potential goodwill impairment and measure the amount of goodwill impairment loss to be recognized for that reporting unit, if any. If an entity determines that the fair value of a reporting unit is greater than its carrying amount, the goodwill impairment test is not required. The annual impairment test was performed on December 31, 2022. No impairment of goodwill has been identified during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Mar 31, 2023 | Showing above |
| 2021 | Apr 1, 2022 | |
| 2019 | Apr 9, 2021 | |
| 2018 | Jan 8, 2021 | |
About Goodwill & Intangibles Disclosures
Goodwill and intangible asset disclosures reveal the premium paid in acquisitions and how management assesses whether that premium retains its value. Since goodwill is no longer amortized under US GAAP, the annual impairment test is the only mechanism that adjusts carrying values downward — making the assumptions behind that test critically important for investors.
Key signals: a history of goodwill impairments suggests management consistently overpays for acquisitions. Watch the gap between reporting unit fair value and carrying amount — when fair value exceeds carrying amount by less than 10-20%, a small decline in business performance could trigger a write-down. For finite-lived intangibles, examine useful life assumptions across customer relationships, technology, and trade names; aggressive estimates inflate near-term earnings. Compare total intangibles-to-total-assets ratios against peers to assess acquisition dependency. Rising goodwill as a percentage of equity can signal balance sheet fragility.