Goodwill and Acquired Intangible Assets

Acquisitions are accounted for under the acquisition method of accounting which results in the Company allocating the purchase price to the fair value of the acquired assets, liabilities and non-controlling interests, if any, with the remaining purchase price allocated to goodwill.  

Goodwill is not amortized but is tested periodically for impairment. We test goodwill for impairment annually as of October 1 at the reporting unit level, which is the same as or one level below a business segment. Goodwill is also tested at interim periods if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate the carrying amount may be impaired.


 

2.   Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

We complete a goodwill impairment analysis which may be a qualitative or a quantitative analysis depending on the facts and circumstances associated with the reporting unit.  In conjunction with a qualitative impairment analysis, we assess relevant qualitative factors to determine whether it is “more-likely-than-not” that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. The “more-likely-than-not” threshold is defined as having a likelihood of more than 50%. If, based on first assessing impairment utilizing a qualitative approach, we determine it is “more-likely-than-not” that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, we will also complete a quantitative impairment analysis. In conjunction with a quantitative impairment analysis, we compare the fair value of the reporting unit to the reporting unit’s carrying value, including goodwill. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds the fair value, goodwill is impaired in an amount equal to the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit not to exceed the goodwill amount attributed to the reporting unit.  

 

Acquired intangible assets include, but are not limited to, trade names, customer and other relationships, and non-compete agreements. Acquired intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives in proportion to their estimated economic benefit. Finite-lived acquired intangible assets are reviewed for impairment using an undiscounted cash flow analysis when an event occurs or circumstances change indicating the carrying amount of a finite-lived asset or asset group may not be recoverable. If the carrying amount of the asset or asset group exceeds the undiscounted cash flows, the fair value of the asset or asset group is determined using an acceptable valuation technique. An impairment loss would be recognized if the carrying amount of the asset
or asset group exceeds the fair value of the asset or asset group. The impairment loss recognized would be the difference between the carrying amount and fair value.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2020Feb 26, 2021Showing above
2019Feb 27, 2020
2018Feb 26, 2019
2017Feb 26, 2018
2016Feb 24, 2017
2015Feb 25, 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.