Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
The following is a summary of the changes in the carrying value of goodwill, by reportable segment, for fiscal 2025 and 2024:
(in thousands)U.S. Healthcare SolutionsInternational Healthcare SolutionsTotal
Goodwill as of September 30, 2023
$6,205,774 $3,368,343 $9,574,117 
Purchase accounting adjustments— (12,904)(12,904)
Goodwill recognized in connection with acquisitions— 18,712 18,712 
Goodwill impairment— (418,000)(418,000)
Foreign currency translation2,748 153,354 156,102 
Goodwill as of September 30, 2024
6,208,522 3,109,505 9,318,027 
Goodwill recognized in connection with acquisitions4,896,085 123,112 5,019,197 
Goodwill impairment— (723,884)(723,884)
Foreign currency translation383 62,797 63,180 
Goodwill as of September 30, 2025$11,104,990 $2,571,530 $13,676,520 
The Company continued to experience weakening demand for specialized services in the life sciences industry, which has negatively impacted the operating results of PharmaLex. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 and in connection with the Company’s annual budgeting process, the Company revised PharmaLex’s long-range forecast. In connection with the Company’s annual goodwill impairment assessment, it recorded a full impairment of the remaining goodwill of $723.9 million in the PharmaLex reporting unit. The fair value of the reporting unit was determined based on a weighted average of income and market approaches. The income approach includes the Company’s forecasted cash flows in its long-range plan as well as discount rate and income tax rate assumptions. This represents a Level 3 nonrecurring fair value measurement. The Company believes that its assumptions are representative of market participant assumptions; however, the forecasted cash flows used to estimate fair value and measure the related impairment are inherently uncertain and include assumptions that could differ from actual results in future periods.
The carrying values of goodwill as of September 30, 2025 and 2024 are net of the following accumulated impairments:
(in thousands)U.S. Healthcare SolutionsInternational Healthcare Solutions
Accumulated impairment losses as of September 30, 2025
$— $1,217,820 
Accumulated impairment losses as of September 30, 2024
$— $493,936 
The Company performed a recoverability assessment of PharmaLex’s long-lived assets as of July 1, 2025 using its revised long-range forecast. The recoverability assessment compared PharmaLex’s undiscounted cash flows to the carrying value of the PharmaLex asset group, including goodwill, and it was determined to be recoverable.
The following is a summary of other intangible assets:
 September 30, 2025September 30, 2024
(dollars in thousands)Weighted Average Remaining Useful LifeGross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Net
Carrying
Amount
Gross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Net
Carrying
Amount
Indefinite-lived trade name$17,000 $— $17,000 $17,000 $— $17,000 
Finite-lived:
Customer relationships12 years5,250,912 (1,860,484)3,390,428 5,090,864 (1,536,081)3,554,783 
Trade names and other11 years1,457,176 (1,090,423)366,753 1,259,954 (830,691)429,263 
Total other intangible assets$6,725,088 $(2,950,907)$3,774,181 $6,367,818 $(2,366,772)$4,001,046 
Amortization expense for finite-lived intangible assets was $556.9 million, $663.5 million, and $553.6 million in fiscal 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. Amortization expense for finite-lived intangible assets is estimated to be $401.0 million in fiscal 2026, $341.9 million in fiscal 2027, $330.0 million in fiscal 2028, $314.9 million in fiscal 2029, $294.1 million in fiscal 2030, and $2,075.3 million thereafter.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Nov 25, 2025Showing above
2024Nov 26, 2024
2023Nov 21, 2023
2022Nov 22, 2022
2021Nov 23, 2021
2020Nov 19, 2020
2019Nov 19, 2019
2018Nov 20, 2018
2017Nov 21, 2017
2016Nov 22, 2016
2015Nov 24, 2015

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.