Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
Goodwill
Goodwill consists of the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired in connection with business acquisitions.

A reconciliation of the change in the carrying value of goodwill is as follows.
RestaurantsInsuranceTotal
Balance as of December 31, 2023
Goodwill$28,117 $25,713 $53,830 
Accumulated impairment losses(1,300)— (1,300)
$26,817 $25,713 $52,530 
Change in foreign exchange rates during 2024(34)— (34)
Balance as of December 31, 2024$26,783 $25,713 $52,496 
Change in foreign exchange rates during 202572 — 72 
Balance as of December 31, 2025$26,855 $25,713 $52,568 

We evaluate goodwill and any indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment annually, or more frequently if circumstances indicate impairment may have occurred. Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment evaluations include determining the estimated fair values of our reporting units and indefinite-lived intangible assets. The key assumptions and inputs used in such determinations may include forecasting revenue and expenses, cash flows, and capital expenditures, as well as an appropriate discount rate and other inputs. Significant judgment by management is required in estimating the fair value of a reporting unit and in performing impairment reviews. Due to the inherent subjectivity and uncertainty in forecasting future cash flows and earnings over long periods of time, actual results may differ materially from the forecasts. If the carrying value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds fair value, the excess is charged to earnings as an impairment loss. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds the estimated fair value of the reporting unit, then the excess, limited to the carrying amount of goodwill, will be charged to earnings as an impairment loss. GAAP allows entities testing for impairment the option of performing a qualitative assessment before calculating the fair value of a reporting unit for the goodwill impairment test. For our 2025 annual goodwill impairment testing, we elected to perform qualitative assessments for our reporting units. No indicators of impairment were noted in our insurance reporting units. During the second quarter of 2025, we performed our annual assessment of our recoverability of goodwill related to the Western Sizzlin reporting unit and no impairment was recorded. During the second quarter of 2024, $1,000 of impairment was recorded related to the Western Sizzlin reporting unit. There was no impairment recorded by Steak n Shake in 2025 and 2024.

Other Intangible Assets
Intangible assets with indefinite lives are composed of the following.
Trade NamesLease RightsTotal
Balance as of December 31, 2023
Intangibles$15,876 $11,102 $26,978 
Accumulated impairment losses— (3,748)(3,748)
$15,876 $7,354 $23,230 
Change in foreign exchange rates during 2024— (410)(410)
Balance as of December 31, 2024$15,876 $6,944 $22,820 
Change in foreign exchange rates during 2025— 854 854 
Balance as of December 31, 2025$15,876 $7,798 $23,674 
Intangible assets with indefinite lives consist of trade names and lease rights. No impairment was recorded in 2025 and 2024.
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Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 2, 2026Showing above
2024Mar 3, 2025
2023Feb 26, 2024
2022Feb 27, 2023
2021Feb 28, 2022
2020Mar 1, 2021
2019Feb 24, 2020
2018Feb 25, 2019

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.