Identifiable intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their respective lives. Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair value of net assets of acquired businesses. Management reviews the carrying value of goodwill annually during the fourth quarter to assess for impairment, or more often if events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value may exceed its estimated fair value. No impairment loss was recognized on the Company's intangible assets or goodwill during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 or 2018.
In 2018, the Company adopted the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment (“ASU 2017-04”). ASU 2017-04 no longer requires the Company to perform a hypothetical purchase price allocation to measure impairment, eliminating "Step 2" of the goodwill impairment test. Instead, impairment is measured using the difference of the carrying amount to the fair value of goodwill on a reporting unit basis.
Additionally in 2018, the Company adopted the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software ("ASU 2018-15"). ASU 2018-15 aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software (and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license). The results of applying ASU 2018-15 were insignificant and did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. The capitalized implementation costs incurred from adopting ASU 2018-15 are recorded in the prepaid expenses and other assets caption in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
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.