American Water Works Company, Inc. Goodwill & Intangibles Disclosure
| Regulated Businesses | Other | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost | Accumulated Impairment | Cost | Accumulated Impairment | Cost | Accumulated Impairment | Total Net | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of January 1, 2024 | $ | 3,470 | $ | (2,332) | $ | 113 | $ | (108) | $ | 3,583 | $ | (2,440) | $ | 1,143 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Goodwill from acquisitions | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2024 | $ | 3,471 | $ | (2,332) | $ | 113 | $ | (108) | $ | 3,584 | $ | (2,440) | $ | 1,144 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Goodwill from acquisitions | 12 | — | — | — | 12 | — | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2025 | $ | 3,483 | $ | (2,332) | $ | 113 | $ | (108) | $ | 3,596 | $ | (2,440) | $ | 1,156 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 18, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 19, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 14, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 15, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 16, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Feb 24, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 18, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Feb 19, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Feb 20, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Feb 21, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 25, 2016 | |
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.