Note 5. Goodwill and Intangible Assets
Goodwill: The change in the carrying amount of goodwill by business segment was as follows:
(Millions)Safety and IndustrialTransportation and ElectronicsConsumerCorporate and Other
Total Company
Balance as of December 31, 2023
$4,542$1,512$270$58$6,382
Translation and other(a)
(73)(16)(12)(101)
Balance as of December 31, 2024
4,4691,496258586,281
Translation and other(a)
102 29 — 138 
Balance as of December 31, 2025
$4,571$1,525$265$58$6,419
(a)     The amounts in the “Translation and other” primarily relate to changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
As of December 31, 2025, the Company's accumulated goodwill impairment loss is $0.3 billion. The Company completed its annual goodwill impairment test for all reporting units in the fourth quarter of 2025 and determined that no impairment existed.
Acquired Intangible Assets: The carrying amount and accumulated amortization of the Company's acquired finite-lived intangible assets, along with their original useful lives, and the balances of non-amortizable intangible assets, are presented below:
Estimated weighted average useful life
December 31, 2025December 31, 2024
(Millions)
Gross carrying amount
Accumulated amortization
Net carrying amount
Gross carrying amountAccumulated amortizationNet carrying amount
Finite-lived intangible assets
Customer related
14 years$1,239 $(925)$1,319 $(935)
Patents and technology
9 years573 (544)578 (535)
Definite-lived tradenames
16 years482 (318)487 (300)
Other
7 years47 (30)47 (30)
Total
$2,341 $(1,817)$524 $2,431 $(1,800)$631 
Indefinite lived intangible assets(b)    
579 579 
Total intangible assets
$1,103 $1,210 
(b)    Indefinite lived intangible assets primarily consists of certain tradenames acquired by 3M that are not amortized because they have existed for over 60 years, maintain leading-market share positions, are continuously renewed, and are associated with products expected to generate cash flows for 3M for an indefinite period.
Amortization expense follows:
(Millions)202520242023
Amortization expense $104 $108 $127 
Expected amortization expense for acquired amortizable intangible assets recorded as of December 31, 2025 follows:
(Millions)20262027202820292030
After 2030
Amortization expense$99 $84 $59 $57 $57 $168 
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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.