MERCANTILE BANK CORP Goodwill & Intangibles Disclosure
Goodwill and Core Deposit Intangible: GAAP requires us to determine the fair value of all the assets and liabilities of an acquired entity, and record their fair value on the date of acquisition. We employ a variety of means in determination of the fair value, including the use of discounted cash flow analysis, market comparisons and projected future revenue streams. For certain items we concluded to have the appropriate expertise to determine the fair value, we may choose to use our own calculation of fair value. In other cases, where the fair value is not readily determined, consultation with outside parties is used to determine fair value. Once valuations have been determined, the net difference between the price paid for the acquired company and the fair value of the balance sheet is recorded as goodwill. Goodwill is assessed at least annually for impairment, with any such impairment recognized in the period identified. A more frequent assessment is performed if there are material changes in the market place or within the organizational structure. We conducted an annual test during 2022 using step zero, with no impairment identified.
The core deposit intangible that arose from the merger with Firstbank was initially measured at fair value and is being amortized into noninterest expense over a -year period using the sum-of-the-years-digits methodology.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Mar 3, 2023 | Showing above |
| 2021 | Mar 4, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Mar 5, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Mar 2, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Mar 4, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Mar 5, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Mar 6, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Mar 7, 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.