Goodwill and Acquired Intangibles
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by business segment were as follows (in millions):
AeronauticsMFCRMSSpaceTotal
Balance at December 31, 2023$196 $2,086 $6,741 $1,776 $10,799 
Acquisitions— — — 298 298 
Other— (1)(29)— (30)
Balance at December 31, 2024196 2,085 6,712 2,074 11,067 
Acquisitions   217 217 
Other 4 25 1 30 
Balance at December 31, 2025$196 $2,089 $6,737 $2,292 $11,314 
The gross carrying amounts and accumulated amortization of our acquired intangible assets consisted of the following (useful life in years, $ in millions):
 20252024
Estimated Useful LivesGross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Net
Carrying
Amount
Gross
Carrying
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Net
Carrying
Amount
Finite-Lived:
Customer programs
3 - 20
$3,186 $(2,342)$844 $3,186 $(2,128)$1,058 
Customer relationships
5 - 10
94 (94) 94 (91)
Other
5 - 10
281 (75)206 156 (39)117 
Total finite-lived intangibles3,561 (2,511)1,050 3,436 (2,258)1,178 
Indefinite-Lived:
Trademark837  837 837 — 837 
Total acquired intangibles$4,398 $(2,511)$1,887 $4,273 $(2,258)$2,015 
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets are amortized to expense primarily on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives.
Amortization expense for acquired finite-lived intangible assets was $254 million for 2025 and $247 million for both 2024 and 2023. Estimated future amortization expense is as follows: $199 million in 2026; $198 million in 2027; $193 million in 2028; $184 million in 2029; and $121 million in 2030.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Jan 29, 2026Showing above
2024Jan 28, 2025
2023Jan 23, 2024
2022Jan 26, 2023
2021Jan 25, 2022
2020Jan 28, 2021
2019Feb 7, 2020
2018Feb 8, 2019
2017Feb 6, 2018
2016Feb 9, 2017
2015Feb 24, 2016

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.