Note 4 — Goodwill and Intangible Assets

 

Goodwill represents the future economic benefits arising from assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. The Company recognized goodwill for the first time in the fourth quarter of 2023; as such, the Company first tested for impairment in the fourth quarter of 2024 the results of which follow.

 

Impairment test

 

During the fiscal fourth quarter of 2024, we determined that a triggering event occurred as a result of additional decline in operational estimates for franchises acquired, along with uncertainty for projected cash flows, and also further decreases in our stock price. Therefore, we performed a quantitative impairment test as of the first day of fiscal fourth quarter of 2024 for our reporting units with remaining goodwill.

 

The fair value of each reporting unit was estimated using a weighing of the income and market valuation approaches. The income approach applied a fair value methodology to each reporting unit based on discounted cash flows. This analysis requires significant judgments, including estimation of future cash flows, which is dependent on internally developed forecasts of revenue and profitability, estimation of the long-term rate of growth for our business, estimation of the useful life over which cash flows will occur, and determination of our carrying value of equity for the reporting unit being tested.

 

The combined fair values for all reporting units were then reconciled to the aggregate market value of our shares of, common stock on the date of testing. Based on our most recent impairment test, eight of our reporting units’ fair values were below their respective carrying values. An impairment charge of $787,438 was recognized for the year ended December 31, 2025.

 

As a result of this quantitative testing, we evaluated other long-term assets for impairment utilizing the un-discounted cash flows and determined that all of the impairment was attributable to goodwill which is recorded as Impairment of Goodwill on our Consolidated Statements of Operation.

 

Additionally, following performance of the annual impairment test, we did not identify any events or conditions that make it more likely than not that an additional impairment may have occurred. Accordingly, no further impairment charges were recognized during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

 

The gross carrying amount of goodwill as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $8,012,331 and $5,702,612, respectively.

 

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill are as follows:

 

   2024   2023 
Balance, January 1  $5,702,612   $
-
 
Additions   3,097,157    5,702,612 
Impairment   (787,438)   
-
 
Goodwill as of 12/31/2024  $8,012,331   $5,702,612 

 

The components of purchased intangible assets were as follows:

 

    Weighted                    
    Average                    
    Remaining     December 31, 2024  
    Amortization     Gross              
    Period
(in years)
    Carrying Amount     Accumulated
Amortization
    Net
Amount
 
Franchise agreement   9       5,249,482       467,138       4,782,344  
Agent relationships   8       916,282       93,431       822,851  
Real estate listings   0.3       564,756       472,543       92,213  
Non-compete agreements   3       188,748       46,076       142,672  
Total   9     $ 6,919,268     $ 1,079,188     $ 5,840,080  
   Weighted            
   Average            
   Remaining  December 31, 2023 
   Amortization  Gross         
   Period
(in years)
  Carrying Amount   Accumulated
Amortization
   Net
Amount
 
Franchise agreement  11   3,743,081    32,334    3,710,747 
Agent relationships  8   522,780    8,692    514,088 
Real estate listings  1   298,798    28,366    270,432 
Non-compete agreements  4   140,924    3,742    137,182 
Total  10  $4,705,583   $73,134   $4,632,449 

 

The Company recorded $1,006,052 and $73,134 of amortization of the intangible assets during the years ended December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. Based on the intangible assets recorded at December 31, 2024, and assuming no subsequent additions to or impairment of the underlying assets, the remaining estimated annual amortization expense is expected to be as follows:

 

   Amortization 
2025  $749,941 
2026   657,711 
2027   654,098 
2028   611,917 
2029   609,696 
Thereafter   2,556,717 
Total  $5,840,080 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2024Apr 15, 2025Showing above
2023Apr 16, 2024

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.