8. GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Goodwill

We recognized $69.2 million in goodwill as the result of the business combination with Barnes & Noble Education on June 10, 2024. There was no goodwill as of December 31, 2023.

 

Intangible Assets, net

The following summarizes our intangible assets, excluding goodwill, recorded as intangible assets on our Consolidated Balance Sheets as of April 30, 2025 (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

Gross Carrying Amount

 

 

Accumulated Amortization

 

 

Net Carrying Amount

 

 

Weighted-average remaining life (Years)

 

Trade name

 

$

45,000

 

 

N/A

 

 

$

45,000

 

 

Indefinite

 

Customer relationships

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

(3,419

)

 

 

46,581

 

 

 

12.2

 

Total

 

$

95,000

 

 

$

(3,419

)

 

$

91,581

 

 

 

 

 

Amortization of finite-lived intangible assets is computed using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives. Trade name is determined to have an indefinite useful life and is not subject to amortization. Amortization expense was $3.4 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

Estimated amortization expense of the intangible assets to be recognized by the Company are (in thousands):

 

Fiscal Year Ended April 30,

 

 

 

2026

 

$

3,846

 

2027

 

 

3,846

 

2028

 

 

3,846

 

2029

 

 

3,846

 

2030

 

 

3,846

 

Thereafter

 

 

27,351

 

Total

 

$

46,581

 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 12, 2026Showing above
2016Mar 3, 2017

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.