NOTE 4 – INTANGIBLE ASSETS

 

Intangible assets consist of the following:

 

   December 31,
2023
   December 31,
2022
 
Merchant portfolios  $2,409,965   $2,405,000 
Less accumulated amortization   (2,322,182)   (1,793,333)
Net residual portfolios  $87,783   $611,667 

 

Trade name  $2,500,000   $2,500,000 
Less accumulated amortization   (2,500,000)   (2,000,000)
Net trade name  $
   $500,000 

 

Merchant Portfolio  $
    —
   $18,000,000 
Less accumulated amortization   
    (2,476,191)
Net trade name  $
   $15,523,809 

 

Exclusive agreement to purchase natural gas  $4,499,952   $4,499,952 
Less accumulated amortization   (1,087,489)   (825,173)
Net mineral rights  $3,412,463   $3,674,779 
           
Total intangible assets, net  $3,500,246   $20,310,255 

 

Due to the ongoing litigation with FFS relating to a breach of contract in connection with the Acquired Merchant Portfolio (see Note 15), the Company has written off the asset and recognized a $12,642,857 loss on impairment for the year ended December 31, 2023.

 

Amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $4,172,117 and $3,664,488, respectively.

 

The Company’s merchant portfolio and tradename are being amortized over respective useful lives of 7 and 5 years and the Company’s agreement to purchase natural gas is being amortized over the useful life of 10 years.

 

The following sets forth the estimated amortization expense related to amortizing intangible assets for the years ended December 31:

 

2024  $534,798 
2025   450,988 
2026   450,988 
2027   450,988 
2028   449,995 
Thereafter   1,162,489 
Total  $3,500,246 

 

The weighted average remaining useful life of amortizing intangible assets was 5.12 years at December 31, 2023.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2023Apr 15, 2024Showing above
2022Mar 30, 2023
2021Mar 28, 2022
2020Mar 30, 2021
2019Apr 29, 2020
2018Apr 18, 2019

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.