Goodwill and Other Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets
Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired. The Company does not amortize goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives resulting from business combinations but, in accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other, does assess the recoverability of goodwill annually in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, or more often if events occur or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of goodwill may not be recoverable. Such circumstances could include, but are not limited to, a significant adverse change in customer demand or business climate or an adverse action or assessment by a regulator. Each year, the Company may assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to complete quantitative impairment assessments. The Company has two reporting units, which are Floor & Decor Retail (“Retail”) and Spartan.
Impairment Assessment of Goodwill and Other Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets
The Company tests goodwill and its trade names, which are indefinite-lived intangible assets, for impairment annually in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, or more often if events occur or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of goodwill or indefinite-lived intangible assets may not be recoverable. The Company has the option to assess the value of its goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets under either a qualitative or quantitative approach. Under a qualitative approach, the Company evaluates various market and other factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the Company’s goodwill or other indefinite-lived intangible assets have been impaired. In performing the qualitative assessment, the Company considers the carrying value of each reporting unit compared to its fair value as well as events and changes in circumstances that could include, but are not limited to, a significant adverse change in customer demand or business climate, an adverse action or assessment by a regulator, and significant adverse changes in the price of the Company’s common stock. If such qualitative assessment indicates that impairment may have occurred, an additional quantitative assessment is performed by comparing the carrying value of the assets to their respective estimated fair values. If the recorded carrying value of goodwill or an other indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its estimated fair value, an impairment charge is recorded to write the asset down to its estimated fair value.
During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, the Company qualitatively assessed whether it was more likely than not that the goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets were impaired. Based on these assessments, the Company determined it was more likely than not that its goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets were not impaired as of October 25, 2024. No events or changes in circumstances have occurred since the date of the Company’s most recent annual impairment assessment that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount.
The Company’s goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets impairment assessments contain uncertainties because they require management to make significant judgments in estimating the fair value of the Company’s reporting unit and other indefinite-lived intangible assets and, if a quantitative assessment is deemed necessary, may include the projection of future cash flows, assumptions about which market participants are the most comparable, the selection of discount rates, and the weighting of the income and market approaches. These calculations contain uncertainties because they require management to make assumptions such as estimating economic factors, including the profitability of future business operations and, if necessary, the fair value of the reporting unit’s assets and liabilities. Further, the Company’s ability to realize the future cash flows used in its fair value calculations is affected by factors such as changes in economic conditions, changes in the Company’s operating performance, and changes in the Company’s business strategies. Significant changes in any of the assumptions involved in calculating these estimates could affect the estimated fair value of the Company’s reporting unit and indefinite-lived intangible assets and could result in impairment charges in a future period.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2024Feb 20, 2025Showing above
2023Feb 22, 2024
2022Feb 23, 2023
2021Feb 24, 2022
2020Feb 25, 2021
2019Feb 20, 2020
2018Feb 25, 2019
2017Mar 5, 2018

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.