Note C: Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

The following table shows the changes in goodwill by reportable segment and in total:

 

December 31

 

East
Group

 

 

West
Group

 

 

Specialties

 

 

Total

 

(in millions)

 

2025

 

Balance at beginning of period

 

$

1,031

 

 

$

2,362

 

 

$

 

 

$

3,393

 

Acquisitions

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

209

 

 

 

214

 

Adjustments to purchase price allocations

 

 

(1

)

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

Balance at end of period

 

$

1,035

 

 

$

2,370

 

 

$

209

 

 

$

3,614

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2024

 

Balance at beginning of period

 

$

764

 

 

$

2,625

 

 

$

 

 

$

3,389

 

Acquisitions

 

 

267

 

 

 

111

 

 

 

 

 

 

378

 

Goodwill allocated to assets held for sale

 

 

 

 

 

(374

)

 

 

 

 

 

(374

)

Balance at end of period

 

$

1,031

 

 

$

2,362

 

 

$

 

 

$

3,393

 

 

Intangible assets subject to amortization consist of the following:

 

December 31

 

Gross
Amount

 

 

Accumulated
Amortization

 

 

Net
Balance

 

(in millions)

 

2025

 

Noncompetition agreements

 

$

1

 

 

$

(1

)

 

$

 

Customer relationships

 

 

418

 

 

 

(99

)

 

 

319

 

Operating permits

 

 

110

 

 

 

(33

)

 

 

77

 

Use rights and other

 

 

29

 

 

 

(14

)

 

 

15

 

Trade names

 

 

10

 

 

 

(5

)

 

 

5

 

Total

 

$

568

 

 

$

(152

)

 

$

416

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2024

 

Noncompetition agreements

 

$

4

 

 

$

(4

)

 

$

 

Customer relationships

 

 

415

 

 

 

(79

)

 

 

336

 

Operating permits

 

 

110

 

 

 

(30

)

 

 

80

 

Use rights and other

 

 

29

 

 

 

(12

)

 

 

17

 

Trade names

 

 

10

 

 

 

(4

)

 

 

6

 

Total

 

$

568

 

 

$

(129

)

 

$

439

 

Intangible assets deemed to have an indefinite life that are therefore not amortized consist of the following:

December 31

 

Building
Materials
Business

 

 

Specialties

 

 

Total

 

(in millions)

 

2025

 

Operating permits

 

$

7

 

 

$

 

 

$

7

 

Use rights

 

 

29

 

 

 

 

 

 

29

 

Trade names

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

7

 

Total

 

$

36

 

 

$

7

 

 

$

43

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2024

 

Operating permits

 

$

7

 

 

$

 

 

$

7

 

Use rights

 

 

29

 

 

 

 

 

 

29

 

Trade names

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

2

 

Total

 

$

36

 

 

$

2

 

 

$

38

 

All intangible assets acquired during 2025 were from business combinations and are as follows:

 

(in millions, except year data)

 

Amount

 

 

Weighted-average
amortization period

Subject to amortization:

 

 

 

 

 

Customer relationships

 

$

3

 

 

8 years

Total subject to amortization

 

$

3

 

 

8 years

Not subject to amortization:

 

 

 

 

 

Trade names

 

 

5

 

 

N/A

Total

 

$

8

 

 

Amortization expense for intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 was $26 million, $23 million and $22 million, respectively.

The estimated amortization expense for intangible assets for each of the next five years and thereafter is as follows:

 

(in millions)

 

 

 

2026

 

$

25

 

2027

 

 

25

 

2028

 

 

25

 

2029

 

 

24

 

2030

 

 

23

 

Thereafter

 

 

294

 

Total

 

$

416

 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 19, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 21, 2025
2023Feb 23, 2024
2022Feb 24, 2023
2021Feb 22, 2022
2020Feb 19, 2021
2019Feb 21, 2020
2018Feb 25, 2019
2017Feb 23, 2018
2016Feb 24, 2017
2015Feb 23, 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.