6. GOODWILL

The following table provides the reconciliation of the carrying amount of goodwill by segment at the beginning and end of the reporting period (in thousands):

Equipment Sales and Hosting SegmentMining SegmentTotal Goodwill
Balance as of December 31, 2021$58,241 $997,519 $1,055,760 
Subsequent measurement period adjustment— (1,000)(1,000)
Impairment of goodwill(58,241)(996,519)(1,054,760)
Balance as of December 31, 2022$— $— $— 

As of December 31, 2022, after impairment, the Company had no remaining goodwill. At December 31, 2021, the carrying amount of goodwill was $1.06 billion. For the year ended December 31, 2022 there was a measurement period adjustment reducing goodwill by $1.0 million and accumulated impairment losses of $1.05 billion. There were no goodwill adjustments or impairment losses for the year ended December 31, 2021.
The Company does not amortize goodwill, but tests it for impairment annually as of October 31, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of goodwill may not be recoverable. The Company has the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair values of the reporting units are less than their carrying amounts as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. If management determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than the reporting unit’s carrying
amount, or management chooses not to perform a qualitative assessment, then the quantitative goodwill impairment test will be performed. The quantitative test compares the fair value of the reporting unit with the reporting unit’s carrying amount. If the carrying amount exceeds its fair value, the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value is recognized as an impairment loss, and the resulting measurement of goodwill becomes its new cost basis. The Company’s reporting units are the same as its reportable and operating segments.
The Company identified goodwill impairment triggering events during the year ended December 31, 2022. These events included declines in the market price of bitcoin, the market price of the Company’s stock and the Company’s market capitalization. As a result, the Company performed the quantitative test to compare the fair value to the carrying amount for each reporting unit at June 30, 2022. Sustained and further deterioration in market prices and in the Company’s financial position resulted in additional quantitative testing at September 30, 2022. The Company concluded that the carrying value of the Mining reporting unit exceeded its fair value and, as such, recorded a $996.5 million impairment of goodwill in its Mining reporting unit for the year ended December 31, 2022. The Company concluded the carrying amount of the Equipment Sales and Hosting reporting unit exceeded its fair value and, as such, recorded a $58.2 million impairment of goodwill in its Equipment Sales and Hosting reporting unit for the year ended December 31, 2022. These impairments are presented within impairment of goodwill and other intangibles on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The Company’s analysis during the year ended December 31, 2022, involved the use of a market approach. Valuations using the market approach are derived from metrics of market transactions. Significant judgments and assumptions used in the market approach includes the selection of comparable businesses based on the characteristics of each reporting unit, the consideration and application of relevant relative metrics and a reconciliation to the Company’s market capitalization to the fair value measured. Sustained depressed bitcoin market value, increased power costs, decreased liquidity, and increased cost of financing, along with other factors have contributed to significant and sustained deterioration in the Company’s market capitalization. The Company concluded that the fair value of its reporting units would no longer support the remaining acquired goodwill carrying values. The Company developed its estimates using the best information available at the time. Changes in management’s estimates or any of its other assumptions used in its analysis could result in a different conclusion.
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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.